


Five Nights at Freddy's: Salvaged

by Tenebrae_Vesper



Series: Five Nights at Freddy's: The Untold Story [2]
Category: Five Nights at Freddy's
Genre: Child Murder, Confronting & Accepting The Past, Drawkill Animatronics (Five Nights at Freddy's), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Issues, Horror, Killer Animatronics (Five Nights at Freddy's), Psychological Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2020-04-08 10:10:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 37
Words: 206,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19104994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tenebrae_Vesper/pseuds/Tenebrae_Vesper
Summary: Even after escaping Hell, William is still haunted by his past. Back as Springtrap, he's forced to confront his past self, accepting either atonement or annihilation. To his surprise, he gains unexpected assistance from Sam, who is investigating the rumors surrounding the new Fazbear location…





	1. Undone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is known as Five Nights at Freddy's: The Untold Story, and consists of multiple parts, with Five Nights at Freddy's: Salvaged being the second part.
> 
> The first part is Five Nights at Freddy's: Masterpiece; Who are we, Henry? Do you understand what we have created? What I have created? There are so many questions that need to be answered, old friend. However, unlike you, I am not afraid of the consequences of my choices.

**Night 0**

**Undone**

_''I'm gonna throw my memories away, now I feel undone. And I am cursed by every day, till my time is gone. I've never felt this way before and now I know this, so for sure – I won't forget your last betray, I'll never forget this day.''_

_– **Undone**  by Desmeon ft. Steklo_

**xXxXxXx**

_How long have I've been trapped here? An eternity…_

He lowered his head, clutching it in hopes that it his headache would fade away. It didn't. It just grew stronger, not helped by the constant buzzing of the monitor, the fan and the odd metallic sounds and bangs that came from the corridors and air vents. He couldn't bear it anymore. He felt sick, especially since he knew what was waiting behind those doors.

As he lift his head, his dark eyes widened as he saw the huge animatronic towering over him, snapping the claw she wielded and screeching as she lunged at him. Her cry and his screams of agony merged as there was a sickening sound of bones crunching and flesh being torn apart. As the screams died down, darkness fell.

''You won't die, **but you'll wish you could**.''

The darkness slowly faded and he woke up again in the same room, the clock showing him that it was 12 AM. There was numbing pain pulsating through his chest. He died once again at the hands of one of his creations and had to bear the punishment of having his soul torn apart, leaving him in excruciating pain whenever he would wake up again. He knew he had no time to recover, as the night had once again started and he needed to keep an eye on _them_.

_This was my masterpiece._

He didn't choose to be trapped in this cursed office, spending probably ages while dealing with over 50 animatronics who would come over and over again just to taunt him or to outright kill him. He would recover every night after dying, only to face the nightmares again. Sometimes he would win, having figured out their strategy, but he knew he was just delaying his next death. Every time he won, he would die ten times as much afterwards. Every time he won, the nights became only more difficult, with even more players being thrown into this sick game.

_And their only demand is my blood._

He couldn't do it anymore. He couldn't fight them. They broke his mind with their games and left only an empty shell. The man who arrived here was no more.

_That's what you wanted, right? You wanted to see me tortured and broken. You wanted to see me scream, beg and cry for salvation. And even if I did, you would never release me._

His mind was empty, his senses dull. He couldn't think anymore nor defend himself. A nightmarish marionette was slowly manifesting in front of him. Its face was a black and white mask with sharp teeth and its torso was a black ribcage. He trembled as the animatronic screamed, stabbing his chest with one of its appendages.

**''I-I-I AM THE FEARFUL REFLECT-ECTION OF WHAT YOU HAVE CR-CREA-ATED.''**

The animatronic vanished as he fell over, screaming in agony. Blood gushed from the wound on his chest, his fingers trembling as he attempted to stop it.

''I hate you! Henry! Mike!''

He was shaking in fear as he felt his life being drained. He felt dizzy, his blurry vision turning black as he cried in anguish.

''Please… help me…'' he whimpered as the darkness embraced him once again.


	2. Replay Your Nightmare

**Night 1**

**Replay Your Nightmare**

_''In a loop inside the screen, your own prison in a dream. Try to run and try to scream, even death can't save you – we replay your nightmare.''_

_– **Replay Your Nightmare** by TryHardNinja ft. Thora Daughn_

**xXxXxXx**

_''That's what you get for leaving me hanging!''_

''Seriously?!'' The girl threw up her hands as she watched the black screen, showing her that she got a Game Over. ''I died to Toy Freddy?! How could I die to Toy Freddy? Didn't I check on him? I did!''

She was fuming as she went back to the menu, which was showing her the 50/20 Mode of _Ultimate Custom Night_. She groaned in annoyance, knowing just how close she was to finally winning the game. It took her ages to even get this far.

''I guess I have no other choice but to try it again,'' Sam muttered. Her actual name was Samantha Blackburn, but she usually went by Sam. She was a teen with brown hair and brown eyes, turning 17 this summer. She was wearing a black T-shirt and jeans, her purple and black jacket being draped over the swivel chair. A small desk fan was whirring next to her laptop, cooling her. She took a look at the smartphone next to it, noticing that at least four hours had passed since she got on her laptop and started to play the game. Deciding to take one more turn, she put the headphones on and started the game.

It was a little weird though, if intriguing. In the past year, several games came out, as well as an official website featuring them, all bearing the title _Five Nights at Freddy's._ They were made by an obscure indie game developer and were supposedly based on the urban legend surrounding the restaurant known as Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. On the surface, the games had you playing as a night guard in an old pizzeria, where you would fend off the animatronics who would attempt to stuff you in a suit, thinking you were just an endoskeleton. However, the more you investigated the game's lore, the more obvious it became that there was a lot more to the story.

A few months ago, the company Fazbear Entertainment took the games and the website down, making a post about how the developer (if she remembered well, his name was Scott) was trying to tarnish the company's reputation with those games. He had been discredited and even called a crazy lunatic, or something like that. Nevertheless, Sam managed to make copies of the games and store them, so she could play them to her heart's content, even though she was annoyed that they took them down. She could understand their reasoning though.

Apparently, more than 30 years ago, at least five children have gone missing on the premises of the restaurant and were presumed dead, even though their bodies have never been found. It was quite a tragedy. However, playing through the games showed that, what was known as the Missing Children Incident, was just one of the many tragedies that occurred at Freddy's and how the lore was much deeper and darker than what most people were aware of.

Still, it was just a game, wasn't it? It was quite ridiculous to think that a soul could possess an animatronic or that the murderer had been experimenting with some substance called remnant, which would bind a soul to said animatronic. It was ludicrous and Fazbear Entertainment was aware of that. They even announced a VR game that would parody the games made by the ''crazy lunatic'' and show that those games were nothing more but a stupid rumor.

Nevertheless, Sam was really intrigued by the games. She loved urban legends based on real events and would investigate them, trying to find out whether they were true or a hoax. She also spent a lot of her free time writing down everything she knew about the games and making up theories. She even had several files for each game, all filled with theories and speculations.

However, her interest in Freddy's dark history didn't start with the games. It actually started with Fazbear's Fright, a horror attraction based on the old urban legends that was supposed to open about two years ago. Being too curious for her own good, Sam figured that she could get a little preview of what would await her in the horror attraction, but was chased away by the night guard, an old man who looked like he had been through Hell. However, she managed to get a glimpse of an animatronic that was brought there; a golden-green withered bunny with a ripped ear and a slasher smile.

Then, it happened. The horror attraction was burned to the ground, supposedly due to faulty wires. However, only a few months later, a new location opened. It was a renewed Freddy Fazbear's Pizza restaurant and this time, Sam actually got to spend time there. She loved the place and the animatronics, feeling like she traveled back in time, when Freddy's was at its heyday. Nowadays, other restaurants would chuck out the robots and costumes in favor of animated mascots on big screens, who would be singing to the kids or advertise the merch. Perhaps people liked the animated version more, but Sam felt that nothing could top a real animatronic. There was something fascinating about them.

Nevertheless, even after visiting the place, she just had to snoop around once again. She sneaked into the back alley, seeing two men trying to take a withered animatronic inside. Before she could get a good look at the animatronic (she did remember that it had green fur), one of the men chased her away. What did strike her as odd was that he was wearing bandages under his purple shirt and some of the bandages even covered his face, which was obscured by a cap. She guessed that he had been in an accident that caused bad burns on his body or something similar. The location didn't last long anyways, as it was burned down in a blazing inferno.

Nobody had an idea what happened and the only answer she had were those games that came a while later. She didn't know whether she could trust the lore, as it was a little unsettling that someone might know so much about what was going on at Freddy's. It was a lot easier to conclude that the creator of the games took the story of Freddy's and just let his imagination run wild.

''Hallelujah!'' Sam felt like screaming after hearing the GAME WIN fanfare come up. She couldn't believe she managed to beat 50/20 Mode. She wanted to cry, after all the deaths she went through.

However, her celebration was cut short when she realized that the game was done. An empty feeling spread through her chest, the kind where you would ask yourself ''and now what?''. She played through all the games, managed to get all the achievements, found all the secret messages and now she had nothing else to do. She could keep on theorizing though, since the lore was still quite confusing.

When it came to _Ultimate Custom Night_ , her theory was that it was actually William Afton's Hell, Afton being the one who killed the children. His soul was trapped inside it, forced to endure eternal punishment for what he had done, being effectively killed by his own creations. It was a vicious cycle, one he couldn't escape.

Sam frowned. _Ultimate Custom Night_ was supposed to be unbeatable, right? Yet, she beat it. Now, what would happen to the poor soul who managed to beat it? Would they move on or still be stuck inside it? Would their soul be free to roam once again among the living?

Sam looked at the time on her smartphone and figured she could go to Ricky's Wonder Shack. While she didn't really have an opinion on their pizza, she did like their milkshakes. It was also a good place to think about the Five Nights at Freddy's lore.

**xXx**

The man ran his fingers through his dark hair, his dark, cold eyes being empty as he anticipated another death. Every animatronic in this building was after him. The sleeves of his purple shirt were rolled up, showing the scars on his arms. He was slowly losing hope for surviving this night.

He could feel their eyes on him. He knew that it was impossible to escape them.

_It's over._

He was suddenly startled by the fanfare that played whenever the night was over. He won.

William stood up, the office surrounding him being engulfed by the darkness. He looked around, but there was nothing. He wondered whether this was his prize for dying over and over again in the most brutal ways.

His eye caught the sudden appearance of a new animatronic. It was a golden bear with a black bowtie and a top hat.

_Fredbear? No, it's Golden Freddy._

He watched Golden Freddy twitching violently, reminding of the time he let the Spring Bonnie suit snap and tear into his body. The animatronic slowly faded away, the glow in his eyes perishing. Then, he was gone.

_Am I finally free?_

He shielded his eyes as he was almost blinded by the bright light. Once it subsided, he discovered, much to his dismay, that he was back at the office. Not only that, but there were no animatronics. He already had a bad feeling about this. He walked over to the monitor and looked at it. None of the animatronics were active.

He punched the desk in frustration, realizing that he would be starting this whole Hell all over again. Even if he survived the night, in the long run, it would never end.

''Let me out of here!''

He sat down, feeling exhausted. He could scream and cry as much as he wanted, but he couldn't escape this Hell. There were times he wanted to _murder_ someone for putting him through this, only to be reminded that this was the reason why he was here in the first place. He had no business tampering with life and therefore he would pay with his own soul.

''He's here, and always watching **, the one you shouldn't have killed**.''

''Seeing you powerless is like music to me.''

'' **I am given flesh, to be your tormentor.''**

He fell on his knees, clutching his head. He could hear their voices, over and over again, taunting him. Even if they weren't here, he would still hear them.

''Shut up…'' he whispered.

**''THIS TIME, THERE'S _MORE_ THAN AN ILLUSION TO FEAR.''**

**''I AM HERE TO CLAIM... WHAT IS LEFT OF YOU.''**

**''This is how it feels, and now you get to experience it over, and over, and over again... forever. I will never let you leave.''**

''SHUT UP!''

The office was empty, but he knew that they were observing him. There was no pity, but there was no joy either. They were watching and waiting, stalking him. They would replay this nightmare until he has lost all of his sanity and even then, they wouldn't be satisfied. He knew that. He knew that not even the torment they executed upon him could satisfy them.

_''It's me…''_

He felt something wet and sticky. Looking down at his hands, he saw blood dripping from them. His dark eyes widened in fear and he whimpered.

''Please… no…''

He felt hollow. The man he was once before was gone. Whatever was left of him was just a broken vessel. He was forsaken, left to suffer in this cursed state.

He suddenly broke into a mad laughter. He knew that he deserved this. _They_ would remind him over and over again that he deserved even a worse fate than this. Even the one who masterminded this Hell wasn't satisfied with the cruel punishments, but it didn't matter. William knew that the spirit had moved on a while ago, leaving their creations to play with him.

The hollow feeling spread through his chest once again. His vision went blurry as the blood he hallucinated faded. He closed his eyes, lowering his head, feeling bitter and disgusted with himself. For all the torture he experienced, he had been given time to reflect on all his mistakes and atrocities. He was aware that what he had done was beyond forgiveness and how this was the end of him.

All he wanted was to simply leave.

''I'll do anything…'' he whispered, opening his eyes.

_''Anything?''_

**xXx**

Sam enjoyed her strawberry milkshake, sitting alone in a booth and playing on her phone. She would sometimes glance at the other visitors, but what had her attention were the animatronics that would periodically perform on the stage. A person in a costume was also walking around, dancing and singing along whenever the animatronics had a pause.

This place was known as Ricky's Wonder Shack, a restaurant that also had an arcade area. It opened recently and the owner of the franchise, Wolfrun Corporation, was quickly recognized as a rival to Fazbear Entertainment. However, the restaurant proved to be a lot more popular than its rival, mostly thanks to the shady past of Fazbear Entertainment. So far, if you didn't count the one or the other kid that got lost and found or the patron who spilled their food over themselves, there were no incidents. Parents considered it safe enough to let their kids run wild and the kids didn't care about anything as long as they got their food or could spend their money on the games in the arcade area.

Ricky's Wonder Shack seemed to be also one of the few restaurants that put money into their animatronics and it showed. The animatronics were brand new and had no issues, with the company behind the animatronics ensuring they were 100% safe… unlike some other company's mascots. Yes, Sam read that comment on their website when they advertised their animatronics. Speaking of which, the animatronics that seemed to be the pride of Wolfrun Corporation were about to finish their performance.

One of them was Max the Swashbuckling Cat animatronic. He looked like a tabby cat, wearing boots, a belt and a huge hat with a feather on the top. On his belt was a cutlass which he could easily draw. He seemed to be some kind of storyteller, appealing to kids with stories of adventures and fantasy. He also reminded Sam of Puss in Boots, with her guessing that he was probably based on that character.

The second animatronic was Dahlia the Swan, an elegant white swan animatronic with humanoid features. She was dressed in a blue tutu with a white and blue sparkly bodice, blue ballet shoes and a silver tiara on the top of her head. It was obvious that Dahlia was a ballerina and created to appeal to young girls, with Sam figuring that she perhaps had a Swan Lake theme.

The third animatronic was Quentin the Hedgehog, a humanoid brown hedgehog wearing a black leather jacket. He was holding a red guitar and his black quills were styled into a mullet. Sam had no clue what was the idea behind Quentin, guessing they just wanted to throw in another character.

The fourth animatronic was Virgil the Owl, a grey and brown owl animatronic who was operating the prize corner. Wearing a black cap with a tassel, he would give children the prizes they wanted, all while telling them random facts about history and life.

And lastly, there was Ricky Wolfrun, the main mascot. He was a grey wolf with a white tuft of hair, wearing a blue vest and holding a silver microphone. Sam had to admit that he looked really cute and how his creators did their best to make him as appealing to everyone as possible. She also noticed that, whenever the animatronics were finished with their performance, the curtains would close and Ricky would step off the stage, walking into a room in the back. After a few minutes, he would emerge, but this time moving more fluidly and would interact with the patrons. Sam knew that this was probably a worker who was paid to put on the costume and pretend that he was Ricky.

All in all, the place was quite successful and people even nicknamed the animatronic band Ricky and the Misfits, which later became their official band name. The atmosphere was quite relaxing and the company made it clear that the idea of using animatronics as entertainers would still last.

''I hope you're enjoying yourself!''

Sam looked up from her phone, only to see Ricky himself addressing her in a husky voice. He tilted his head.

''Yeah, I am,'' Sam replied, lifting her half-empty milkshake.

''I am glad to hear that. In order to make your experience even more pleasant, we are giving out free coupons today for the food. Would you like one?'' Ricky showed her the coupons.

''Thanks,'' Sam said as she took the coupon, with Ricky saluting and leaving her. She was already thinking about ordering another milkshake and getting 25% off coupon was a steal. She leaned back, feeling that nothing could ruin her day or even the rest of her summer holidays.

She looked at her phone, reading the files about the animatronics from _Five Nights at Freddy's._ As much as Ricky's Wonder Shack was safe and accident-free, she loved the lore of _Five Nights at Freddy's_ even more. She imagined what Ricky and his friends would be doing during the night. Perhaps, they also had a dark secret and would actually attempt to murder the night guard after hours. Her imagination ran wild with this one. She then sighed.

_It's still a story based on a tragedy. It is better now that everything has ended._

**xXx**

William stood up, confused as the office vanished, replaced by the darkness. The voice he heard was nothing like all the voices he heard before. It was gentle and velvet, yet it sounded incredibly self-satisfied.

''Who are you?'' William asked, looking around.

_''An entity a mere soul cannot comprehend.''_

The voice seemed to be coming from everywhere. William gave up on pin-pointing the owner of the voice and just listened.

''What do you want?'' he asked.

_''Someone vouched for your soul… Someone decided to allow you to return and finish what you started.''_

''What?''

_''You can take either path and face atonement or annihilation, depending on your actions.''_

William had a bad feeling about this one. It sounded like one of those ''selling your soul to the Devil'' stories, even though he had no idea whether he was talking to the Devil, or to something much worse. He felt reluctant, as he didn't know what was going on nor who decided to let him leave. However, a voice inside his head screamed for him to accept. If he accepted, he would be able to escape this nightmare. If he refused, he would be put back to that office he desperately attempted to escape. In the end, he felt that he had no choice.

''I always come back, don't I?''

The entity remained silent.


	3. Salvaged

**Night 2**

**Salvaged**

_''It's been years, since I've seen a face around here. I was broken and alone in that Hell I called my home. You always choose to stay, spend your nights keeping me away. You think you stand a chance to last against the ghosts of your past?''_

_– **Salvaged** by NateWantsToBattle_

**xXxXxXx**

It was dark. William opened his eyes, his vision still blurry as he tried to focus on what was in front of him. He closed his eyes, realizing he was sitting on the ground, leaned against the wall. He felt as if someone hit him in the head with a sledgehammer. He lowered his head and lift his arm to rub his eyes, only to realize that his body felt strange. As he opened his eyes, the blurry vision suddenly cleared and he saw a hand with metallic pieces and green-golden fur. Half of a finger was missing from the hand.

Eyes wide open, he looked at his torso, which was a green-golden suit covered in tears. Underneath the fur were metal parts with a pink and red substance coiled around them. His legs were covered in the same green-golden fur, but it was tattered at the bottom, completely exposing the metal and wiring on his shins and below. Still stunned, he touched his head, his fingers tracing the bunny ears on it. One of the ears had been ripped, exposing metal and wiring.

''You have to be kidding me,'' he muttered as he attempted to stand up. He felt a little unsteady on his feet, but taking a few steps, he quickly adjusted to his new, or rather, to his old body. ''Out of all suits… How is this even possible?''

He took a look at himself, making sure he wasn't hallucinating. To his grief, it appeared that he wasn't. The suit he was wearing was indeed the very Spring Bonnie suit he died in. This was the same suit his soul had been tied to. In hindsight, he shouldn't have been surprised that he was brought back in this state.

''I understand, but why an animatronic? Why not a human?'' he muttered, unsure whether anyone heard him. ''Not that I'm complaining.''

While he was still confused over the situation and fairly certain that the entity that brought him back could've provided him with a human body, he was still satisfied with the result. He was used to being an animatronic, especially after having been trapped inside this very suit for over 30 years. Not to mention the time he used the suit when he was still alive. He relaxed, noting to himself that he actually did prefer to walk around as an animatronic more than as a human.

Suddenly, he saw static. Was the suit's AI glitching out?

He shook his head, letting the static fade. When he opened his eyes, he still saw that he was inside the suit, but it looked different. The entire suit looked brand new. He looked at the joints of his arms, noticing how the pink and red substance was missing. His corpse was gone. William frowned.

''I am not your puppet,'' he said, although he doubted that whatever brought him back even cared enough about his complaints. He looked around, wondering where exactly he was. Except for a few scraps of metal and some boxes, the room was empty. It certainly wasn't the same room he had been trapped in, as the floor and walls were too clean.

He walked over to the door and opened it, entering a corridor, noticing a shield with the text ''EMPLOYEES ONLY'' on the wall. Aside from a checkered pattern on the lower part, the walls were completely devoid of any decorations. He peeked into the room to which the corridor led, realizing it was the dining area. There was a stage and several tables and chairs, but otherwise, it was completely empty.

William then realized what was bothering him about this place. It wasn't just empty, but it seemed that nobody had been here at all. Instead of finding himself in what appeared to be an abandoned Freddy's location, he found himself at a location that hadn't even opened yet.

''Now what?''

He walked into the bathroom, taking a better look at himself in the mirror. Just as he assumed, this suit wasn't one he knew about. Instead, it seemed like it was a mix of the original Spring Bonnie costume and the tattered springlock suit.

The suit was new and clean, with fluffy golden-green fur. A purple bowtie was tied around his neck, but the suit lacked the buttons. The ears were also whole and when he turned his head to look at his back, he noticed a fluffy cotton tail. Looking not very amused, he saw that his eyes were silver and green, but suddenly started to glow purple. There was a tear over his right eye, looking like a badly healed scar.

''I guess it could've been worse,'' he told his reflection.

He was left wondering what he was supposed to do next. It took him a little bit, but he realized he gained his freedom back. He could do now whatever he wanted and nobody knew that a mad murderer had returned. Henry was dead and certainly wouldn't be able to stop him if he decided to go on a killing spree.

_Henry…_

William broke into a mad laughter, imagining Henry's reaction if the latter ever found out what happened to his old friend. He could see his old partner beg whatever entity brought him here to drag William's soul back to Hell, where it belonged. Only that that wouldn't happen. This time, he would be more careful. Sure, his bloodlust led him being trapped inside an incinerator that was a fake restaurant, but he did learn from his mistakes.

It was a good feeling to be back, even with that cursed void he felt ever since he was alive. It was a void he attempted to fill up with blood of the innocent, of those he believed that also needed to have their life denied. He deserved to feel better, to feel alive, didn't he? Ironically, it seemed that death gave him what he desired.

He frowned as he thought about what happened before he was burned to ashes in that fake restaurant. Even though he was used to working alone, he didn't end up dying alone. Not to mention, Henry attempted to burn the past until nothing remained, releasing every soul that was trapped, but he was brought back instead.

_Someone decided to allow you to return and finish what you started._

He wondered what the entity meant. He was responsible for the entirety of Freddy's dark past, therefore, did this mean that he should continue to kill people? Was he supposed to let the vicious cycle repeat again? He could do that without fearing the consequences, after all. He had also gained a better understanding of how remnant worked, therefore making sure nobody who could stop him would be bound to another robotic contraption.

To summarize it, a nightmare had been unleashed.

_You can take either path and face atonement or annihilation, depending on your actions._

''Why would I even want to atone for what I did?'' he asked, looking at his reflection in the mirror. ''It's all over, isn't it? Everyone I knew is gone now and I'm the only one left. I should just seize my chance and do what I am best at.''

It was strange, though. He excelled in robotics, having used his knowledge to create advanced, yet deadly animatronics. He knew how to manage a restaurant and even had performed several times, showing that he had a better grasp of the character than any of his previous employees. He even found a way to make himself effectively immortal, or at least let his soul be bound to the material realm. He was also capable of manipulating people when it suited him. Yet, he would always turn to murdering people when he felt that he lacked something.

He lowered his head as he thought about it, realizing he was getting ahead of himself. He needed to be careful this time. Even if nobody knew what was needed to destroy him, if he did get destroyed yet again, he would end up facing the same Hell, if someone doesn't decide on a worse punishment. Being sent back to Hell was certainly something he wanted to avoid.

''To finish what I had started… Except, there is nothing to finish. Henry did that for me,'' he muttered. ''Everything is gone, isn't it? There isn't anything I can do, right?''

He had no idea how to feel about it. The only thing that came to his mind was that he should've been given clearer instructions. The idea of atoning for his crimes sounded ridiculous to him. He knew that he was too far gone to even consider it.

Suddenly, he heard a deep laughter. Or was it crying? He walked over to the entrance to the main area, only to realize that it looked different now. It was blurry and he felt as if he was looking through a veil. He then saw a brown animatronic bear approaching him, going towards the hidden room, half-laughing, half-crying. Suddenly, the bear stopped and fell apart, the pieces flying all over the room. William stepped back in surprise, watching as a black top hat landed in front of his feet.

He closed his eyes, shaking his head and once he opened them, the room was back to normal. There were no other animatronics but him.

''Damn it,'' he muttered, placing his hand on his temple. He had hallucinations in Hell, but he hoped they would go away once he returned, but apparently, this wasn't the case. He sighed, looking around.

''Is there anything else I should know about?''

**xXx**

Sam stretched, waiting for the light to turn green. After leaving Ricky's, she had decided to take a stroll around the town. Since she was all by herself this week, as her mother was away due to work, she figured that she could stay up late. Sure, her mother would probably tell her that it was a bad idea, because you never knew what kind of creepy people were lurking in the dark, but she knew that there were enough creepy people that would walk around during daylight. Besides, she knew how to take care of herself.

She continued to walk once the light turned to green, feeling a little excited as she took a turn into a familiar street. It wasn't very busy and most of the buildings were empty or waiting to be rented. The only highlight of the street was a half-finished building with a neon sign that said ''Freddy Fazbear's Pizza''. Sam ran over to the entrance, reading the sign on the door. It said ''Opening soon'', but she had no idea when that would be. The building had been standing like this for several weeks and she was wondering whether they would ever open it.

She cupped her hands, squinting as she looked through the glass door into the empty hallway. It was really dark and she couldn't see anything. She couldn't see into the main area from her standpoint, but she knew there was one window that wasn't covered with shutters. She walked around the building, having a better view of the area with the stage. Even though she knew that she wouldn't see anything, she still hoped that there would be something and every time she passed past the building, she couldn't resist trying to look inside the building. She wished that they would finally open it.

Having made peace with the fact that there was nothing inside, Sam was about to leave. However, something told her to stay. Looking through the window, she noticed faint purple light glowing in the dark. Something moved.

She gasped, trying to get a better look of whatever was there. There was indeed someone or something inside. At first, she thought it was a worker, until she realized that this person did not look like a human. They were tall and had a more robust build and… were those bunny ears?

Sam froze when the person suddenly looked at her, realizing how it were their eyes which were glowing purple. The glow became only stronger, half-illuminating what appeared to be a sinister person in a bunny costume.

And he saw her.

Still frozen, Sam heard a voice inside her head screaming for her to run. However, her legs wouldn't move. Instead, she still stared through the window, noticing how the bunny vanished without trace. She backed away, trying to reason that there was no way the bunny could exit the place. She did try the doors and they were all locked. The only way for this animatronic to exit the building was to break a window and she didn't hear a crash and breaking of glass so far.

She shuddered, finally forcing her legs to move. It was just an animatronic, there was no reason to freak out. However, the way the animatronic looked at her caused her heart to beat faster. It was the kind of predatory look someone would give you when they targeted you as their next victim. It didn't help either that she had been reminded of someone she was familiar with.

Taking a deep breath, she moved away from the window and walked down the alley, trying to not look as if she was panicking. She would go home, lock herself up in her room and perhaps get her father's baseball bat that he left in the attic, just in case.

However, before anything of that could happen, she felt something soft covering her mouth and an arm wrapping around her torso, dragging her backwards. She kicked and screamed, but nobody heard her as the monster was dragging her into the building through the back door. The monster was so strong, not letting go even after she tried to pry its hands away. However, instead of feeling human flesh and bones, there was only fur and metal. There was also a strong purple light illuminating the hallway as she was dragged deeper into the building.

''Do you really think I would let you go so easily?'' Sam froze as she heard him talk. His voice was sinister, deep and raspy, although what did confuse her was the fact that he also had a British accent. ''Don't struggle, it'll be over soon.''

''Let me go, William!'' Sam screamed the first thing that came upon her mind. Suddenly, she felt the grip he had weakening, as if he was stunned. She seized her chance and broke free, attempting to run away, but before she could do that, he grabbed her arm, yanking her back and turning her around. She got now a better look at him and, while he didn't look exactly like animatronic she knew, the rage he showed had confirmed her fears.

''How do you know my name?'' he asked her angrily, tightening the grip around her arm.

''Lucky guess!'' Sam had no idea why she yelled back at him. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that her arm felt sore. Or that she just got a confirmation that everything she knew about the FNaF lore was true. ''Let me go!''

''No,'' William replied in a chilling, passive-aggressive tone. Somehow, his calmer response freaked Sam out even more. The unnatural purple glow from his eyes didn't help the case.

''So, what are you going to do then? Kill me? Well, go ahead, I'll make sure that you'll regret it,'' Sam said in a defiant tone. To be honest, she didn't want to die, but she wasn't going down without a fight. William pulled her closer, with Sam being unsettled.

''Maybe I will, but I have a few questions.''

''How about letting me go first?''

''So you can run away? I'm not that stupid.''

''At least loosen the grip a little. I can't feel my arm anymore!''

''If you don't stop screaming, you will lose it for sure,'' William replied, but he still complied. Only a second later, he realized that this was a mistake, as Sam ripped her arm out of his grip and ran. He lunged at her, expecting her to go for the exit, but instead, she ran deeper into the building. He followed her, only to hear a door shut and lock.

Meanwhile, Sam found herself in the security guard's office, which luckily could lock from inside. She then walked over to the table that was in the corner of the room and pushed it against the door and sat on it for good measure. Sure enough, she heard banging coming from outside.

''Get out of there!''

''So I could run into the arms of a crazy murderer? Forget it,'' Sam replied, rubbing her arm. There was a bruise on it and it still hurt.

Outside, William realized that he wasn't going to persuade her to come out. However, that didn't mean that she managed to escape. He grinned.

''You're trapped inside, aren't you,'' he said. There was no response. His grin seemingly widened, his eyes emitting a soft purple glow.

Sam had to admit that he was right. She just had to choose the room that had no exit. She felt stupid, remembering all those times she had yelled at horror movie heroines for doing the exact same thing she did, trapping themselves inside a building along with their murderer. She debated whether she should call the cops, as her smartphone was still working, but something told her that they wouldn't believe her. She was sure that they wouldn't pay any attention to the animatronic and would arrest her for trespassing. On the other hand, dealing with the police was probably a better idea than being trapped with a murderer. Not to mention, there was also the possibility that in the morning, someone would come here and check on the location, so she could escape.

She was about to dial the emergency number, when she noticed the monitor blinking. She turned the surveillance system on and flicked through the cameras, finding the one that showed her the very corridor that led to the office. The animatronic was standing in front of the door, only to turn around, his eyes widening as he saw the camera. He stared at it, even waving at her, all while having that smug expression. Sam felt creeped out by his behavior.

''If you don't let me go, I'm going to call the cops,'' she said.

''I doubt they'll be able to help you,'' William replied. There was silence on the other side. He knew that the girl was thinking the same. The room was silent and, as minutes passed, William started to wonder what was going on. He then sat down, leaned against the door, and decided to wait. She couldn't go anywhere and he had time.

''So, you really _are_ William Afton, or should I call you Springtrap?''

William lift his head, looking at the camera. He was a little surprised that the girl didn't sound scared.

''You can call me both,'' he said. ''What's your name?''

There was a moment of silence, as if the girl debated whether to tell him or not.

''Samantha Blackburn, but Sam is good enough.''

''Okay then, Sam,'' William said, glancing at the locked door. ''How do you know who I am?''

''It's complicated,'' Sam replied. ''I didn't expect this to happen.''

''You didn't expect to be cornered by a so-called crazy murderer in a bunny suit,'' Willliam said in an amused tone. ''Nobody would either.''

''No,'' Sam said, raising her voice. ''I meant the idea that there is a possibility to bind your soul to an animatronic suit. That shouldn't be possible. It was supposed to be just a rumor.''

''You could explain me a little more about this rumor,'' William said, frowning. He didn't really like the idea of someone knowing what he had done.

''To be honest, it is not exactly a rumor. People are aware that several children went missing and have never been found. They know that Freddy's had a series of incidents, ranging from missing workers to health and safety code violations. Not to mention the fact that in the past two years, Fazbear's Fright and the new Freddy Fazbear's Pizza location had been burned down to ashes,'' Sam explained. ''However, that's it. The idea that the animatronics were haunted was just an urban legend and nobody believes it. Nobody wants to believe it.''

''Then, why do you believe it?''

''That's the complicated part.'' The animatronic's ears rose in surprise, with William tilting his head as he heard the tone in Sam's voice. She sounded quite intrigued, as if enjoying their little conversation. ''A while ago, several games with the title _Five Nights at Freddy's_ came out and they were supposed to represent all the past events as accurately as possible. Of course, they also kept the events as vague as possible, so you had a hard time figuring out what was going on unless you really thought about it and even then, some of the stuff was rather unbelievable. I did make my own theories and speculations, but even then, stuff just made no sense. I think most people believe that the Polybius arcade game urban legend was more realistic than almost all of the lore in the _Five Nights at Freddy's_ games.''

William was about to ask her about what exactly was the deal with the lore in the games, when Sam continued on her own. She really sounded like she wanted to talk about the lore.

''Then there was the fallout with Fazbear Entertainment…''

''Wait, they're still in business?'' William asked in surprise. He thought that after Henry's death, the company would've closed its doors.

''Yeah,'' Sam replied. ''Anyways, they discredited the game developer, saying how everything that occurred and was represented in the games was completely inaccurate and not true. They said how the games were based on an urban legend and had nothing to do with the real events, which they didn't want to talk about.''

William chuckled. _Of course they wouldn't talk about the real events. All they do is trying to cover up anything that would tarnish their reputation._

''I think this is one of those 'refuge in audacity' situations. You're being so open about your actions, which are already baffling, that everyone refuses to believe that they're true. I mean, it feels like a joke…'' Sam said. ''Anyways, Fazbear Entertainment took the games and the website down, and they announced that they would make a game of their own that would parody those that were already published and show how ridiculous they were.''

''I see. Could you then tell me more about the lore?'' William asked in a polite tone, hoping she would reveal what kind of story was exactly in those games.

''Let me think… No,'' Sam replied bluntly, with William frowning. ''I think I should be the one asking questions here. Even though I know who you are and what you have done, there are still a few questions left unanswered.''

''You're not exactly in the position to ask me anything.''

''And neither are you,'' Sam said. ''What happened in the last location, you had been one of the animatronics brought there, weren't you? You had been burned down inside that building and I'm quite sure that your soul had been dragged off to Hell, am I right?''

William didn't reply, a brief flash of the damned office appearing in his mind. He shook his head, trying to forget what he saw.

''You shouldn't even be here. You should've stayed in Hell. A monster like you-''

''Shut up!'' William suddenly stood up and punched the door. ''You claim that you know who I am, but I sincerely doubt that! You don't know anything about me! You said it yourself that you were just speculating.''

''I also figured out who was inside this suit!'' Sam yelled back. ''Face it, maybe I don't know everything, but I know enough to be familiar with what truly happened. Also, I know that you are someone who doesn't care about people unless they prove useful for your goals, that you killed your friend's daughter, that you destroyed your own family thanks to your bloodlust, as well as the lives of other people! I know that you're a monster who enjoys killing people and that you are crazy enough to experiment with life! You don't even care about your own life, as long as it serves some sick purpose you came up with!'' She fumed. ''Tell me, William, am I lying?''

There was no answer, only silence. Sam took a deep breath, feeling anger rushing through her.

''You don't deserve any pity and I sincerely doubt that you would ever change. Behind that cute mask you wear is an abomination of a human,'' she said. ''So, why are you here? Why are you back? To kill more people?''

There was still no answer. Sam dared to look at the cameras, only to find the animatronic staring directly at her. However, the purple glow in his eyes faded, leaving them silver and green. What was going on? He then lowered his head and left.

Sam was still suspicious and didn't want to come outside. She checked the cameras, but couldn't find him. Wondering what to do and whether it was safe to come out, she paced in the small room, only to accidentally kick a box that had been under the table. To her surprise, it was an air vent, big enough for her to crawl through. She made a plan, turning the cameras off, pushing away the table from the door and unlocking it, then drew the box towards the air vent and put it behind her as she entered it, so nobody could see it.

''Now, I just need to figure out where the go,'' she muttered under her breath, trying to be as silent as possible. She focused on getting out of this place, but she knew that she also had to deal with William, or rather, Springtrap, as he certainly wasn't a human anymore. She came to a fork, wondering which path she would take.

She winced when she heard Springtrap shouting. He didn't sound angry, but rather desperate. Something was indeed wrong and she knew she should've gotten as fast out of the place as possible. However, curiosity got the better out of her and she crawled towards where she heard the voice coming. She found herself in the main area, noticing Springtrap withdrawing towards the wall, looking absolutely terrified. It seemed like he saw something she couldn't see. She watched him as he whimpered, cornered against the wall.

Sam knew that something was incredibly wrong with him, but this took the cake. She didn't understand why he behaved like this. He then looked at his hands, one being a clenched fist, as if he was holding something. He suddenly opened his hand, wincing, and leaned against the wall, shaking his head. It seemed that he came back to his senses, as he didn't have that unfocused look anymore. He slid down the wall and sat down, lowering his head, looking utterly miserable.

Still surprised to see him like that, Sam noticed that, if she exited the air vent, she could sneak to the corridor that led to the back exit without Springtrap noticing her. She managed to crawl out of the air vent, ready to sprint towards the exit, when she looked back at Springtrap. He hadn't noticed her at all.

_This is my chance._

She looked once again at Springtrap, her body preparing itself for a run… and then suddenly heard a voice inside her head screaming to not dare to do anything stupid. She ignored it.

Instead of going straight for the exit, she slowly approached the animatronic. He didn't seem to care that she was there, as he didn't react at all when she came into his field of vision. Sam observed him curiously, then crouched right in front of him.

''Seems like your experiences left you with some scars,'' she said in a quiet tone, her voice sounding more gentle than she intended to. He lift his head, glaring at her as his eyes started to glow purple again. However, the glow faded, like a fire that got extinguished, his eyes turning back to silver and green. He looked away from her.

''Why don't you leave? Or do you want to keep on taunting me?'' he asked. Sam tilted her head.

''I think there is a better solution to this,'' she said. ''Say, William… Or Springtrap…''

''I told you, you can call me both.'' The animatronic gave her an annoyed look.

''Okay, then. I'd like to know why exactly you're here,'' Sam said.

''I don't think that this is any of your business,'' Springtrap replied.

''I know that. I don't care,'' Sam replied in a deadpan tone. ''Are you even aware in what kind of situation you have put yourself?''

''What?''

''I bet you somehow came back, but there was a catch,'' Sam said. ''Right?''

''Maybe there wasn't,'' Springtrap replied, only to look confused when Sam shook her head.

''If there wasn't a catch, I doubt we would have had this conversation and I would be lying dead on the floor by now,'' she replied in a more serious tone.

''That's still an option.'' Springtrap's eyes briefly flared purple.

''Maybe,'' Sam said, looking indifferent. ''But I think that you have other things on mind. What is it?''

Springtrap looked at her, still irritated at her stubbornness and her attempts to question him. One move and she would never be able to return home. However, before he could do anything, he felt a sudden headache, with blood splatters covering his vision.

**''YOU WILL NOT BE SPARED. YOU WILL NOT BE SAVED.''**

He clutched his head as he heard another dreaded voice.

''No…''

''William!''

The hallucinations suddenly disappeared, with Springtrap looking up at Sam, noticing her worried expression. She looked relieved when she realized that the breakdown he had was over.

''Are you okay?''

''I'm obviously not okay,'' Springtrap replied. He then sighed. ''I am not okay at all.'' He then glanced at her. ''You were right, I did escape Hell, but it seems like it followed me. Someone told me I could atone for what I did, or I could just continue killing people.'' Springtrap frowned. ''I'm supposed to finish something I had started.''

''I see.'' Sam stood up, stretching her arms and noticing Springtrap's glare. ''Maybe I could help you with that.''

''I doubt it,'' Springtrap scoffed, noticing Sam glaring at him. She sighed.

''You have been given another chance and you go straight back into murder mode. That's the most idiotic thing you can do. Does your sanity or your soul really mean nothing to you?'' Sam asked, taking a step back when Springtrap stood up. Just now had she noticed that he was towering over her, even without the ears.

''Why would that matter to you?'' he asked. Sam didn't answer. Springtrap sighed, knowing how he ran into a problem. He had to admit that she was right. He was getting careless and he should actually think things through before he makes a move.

For now, he only knew about several things. He wanted to avoid Hell, there was something he needed to finish (whether it had something to do with the atonement or annihilation offer, he wasn't sure) and he got offered help from a random girl who knew his past, yet was either brave or foolish enough to stay with him instead of running away.

He then turned to her, with Sam stepping back, looking rather insecure about her decision. He tilted his head, as if contemplating what to do with her.

''You know what I've done,'' he said. ''Can you really imagine me seeking redemption?''

''Not exactly,'' Sam replied. ''But it's something _you_ should decide about. It _is_ an option, even if you think that it isn't.''

She noticed that he was considering the idea. She took another step back, glancing at where the exit was. Looking back at Springtrap, she realized that this didn't go unnoticed.

''Just leave,'' he said, turning away from her. To his surprise, Sam stepped in front of him.

''What are you going to do now?''

''Why would you want to know that?''

''Partly because I want to make sure you won't cause any trouble, and partly because I'm curious,'' Sam replied. Springtrap grinned, crossing his arms on his back and bowing over to be at her eye-level.

''Perhaps I could show you what exactly happens to people who are too curious for your own good,'' he said in a threatening tone. To his surprise, she just grinned and booped his nose, which produced a squeaking sound. He stepped back, glaring at her, his eyes flaring purple.

''So, I guess that silver and green means docile and purple means excited or aggressive,'' Sam said as if she was talking about the weather. ''That's good to know.''

''What are you up to?'' Springtrap frowned, feeling irritated. He just couldn't understand why she was doing all of this or even bothering to talk to him.

''Do you even have anywhere to go?'' Sam asked, surprising him. ''Do you plan to stay here?''

''Why are you asking me that?''

''Because I have a suggestion. As I already said, I could help you to figure out why you're here and if you don't have anywhere to stay, you could come with me. I don't think anyone would notice if I stole an animatronic that wasn't even supposed to be here,'' Sam explained. Springtrap looked stunned, staring at her as if she just grew a second head.

''This is the most stupid idea I've heard of. This is not a game. Have you even thought that I could just easily decide to ignore your suggestion and just outright kill you. I wouldn't care,'' he said, his eyes glowing purple.

''You had a lot of opportunities to kill me, but you didn't. It is obvious that you feel conflicted about what to do.''

''I am not-''

''Yes, you are! Whatever you experienced in Hell left a mark on you!'' Sam rose her voice. ''I always had the impression that you're one determined man, someone who cannot be taken down even by death. However, the man I just saw was far from the murderer I imagined. You look so broken and lost.'' She gave him a determined look. ''I know this isn't a game. If it weren't for what I just saw, I would've already taken off or set the building on fire if I had to.''

Springtrap wanted to protest. He wanted to tell her that she was wrong, but something stopped him from that. The memories from Hell suddenly resurfaced again and he could hear their voices, taunting him. They were telling him how he would never escape it, and they were right. Even though he dared to hope that he would eventually get away, he had accepted that he would be stuck forever there. Maybe he _was_ still stuck in Hell. Maybe that's why he was still hearing them screaming…

''Hey, Springtrap!''

Springtrap looked startled, staring at Sam, who looked worried. He groaned, clutching his head. He wasn't in Hell, there was no way he was still stuck there. He was free, wasn't he?

''I'm still hearing them,'' he said, glancing at Sam. ''Even if I'm here, even if this is really, it's like I had never left Hell.''

''You brought it upon yourself,'' Sam said in a chilly tone. Springtrap could only agree with her and went silent.

''You're really determined to help me,'' he said. Sam nodded. ''Fine, then. I guess I don't really have much of a choice.''

''Technically, you have, but I'm glad you decided to not take the murderous path,'' Sam said, with the two walking towards the exit. ''You can still salvage what you have left.''

''Is there another reason why you decided to help me?'' Springtrap asked after closing the door, following Sam, who was walking backwards while facing him. He sincerely doubted that she wanted to help him out of sympathy or just because she was altruistic.

''I'm surprised you didn't ask me about it earlier,'' Sam said, a mischievous smile on her expression. ''I still want to know what exactly happened at Freddy's and you're obviously the best person to ask.''

''I should have expected that.'' Springtrap sighed.


	4. Visit The Past

**Night 3**

**Visit The Past**

_''I wanna go back to when the screams were real, and beautiful terror is what I wanna feel, dripping over me like a long lost memory. I wanna go back to when the nights were red, mechanized agony and trouble in my head. It wasn't good, and I don't feel bad – those five nights were the best I've ever had!''_

  _– **Go Back** by MandoPony_

**xXxXxXx**

It was late at night when Sam and Springtrap finally returned to Sam's home. Springtrap noticed that it was rather secluded, the closest neighbours being away about a five minute walk. Further behind the house was a forest. While Sam was taking out her house keys, Springtrap finally decided to ask her something that had been bothering him for a while.

''What about your parents? Don't you think they would freak out when they see a robotic bunny in their house?''

''I think we can worry about that later,'' Sam said as she opened the door and turned the lights on in the hallway. ''My parents are divorced and I live with my mum.''

''Though luck, I guess,'' Springtrap muttered, feeling apprehensive.

''It's not that bad,'' Sam replied, locking the door behind him. ''They just figured out that their relationship won't work out, agreed to divorce and remained on good terms. Most divorces I heard about usually end up in a mess.''

''True…'' Springtrap frowned, only half-listening to Sam. He could still remember the distraught face of a woman who looked completely enraged and dejected.

 _''I can't stand this anymore, William!''_ she yelled at him. _''You've been locking yourself in your workplace for weeks, barely coming home. Your work will destroy you!''_

_''I don't see any problem with this. This is what I do for living. Don't you understand what I'm doing for my family?''_

_''For your family, or for yourself?''_ she asked in an accusing tone. _''Face it, you're being obsessed with those animatronics. Even Henry-''_

_''Leave Henry out of this!''_

The woman recoiled when her husband suddenly shouted at her. She knew that there were moments when he would look at her and their children as if they were strangers to him. He never showed any aggressive behavior, but there was something in his gaze that scared her. However, she had no proof that there was a monster sleeping inside him, waiting to be unleashed.

 _''Sometimes, I just think you're not the man you're trying be,''_ she said, shuddering. She winced as he walked past her. There was never physical violence between them and every fight they had ended in complete silence. He never really raised his voice, but whenever he spoke, he could see that she feared that he would lash out at her. This was not his intention. All he cared about was to go back to his workshop and work on the robots that became his new family.

Days later, he found an empty closet and a letter that told him how she didn't want to be with him anymore and that she wanted to divorce him. Surprisingly, when the topic of the custody over the children came up, it was decided that Elizabeth, Sammy and Michael would stay with their father. After that, he never heard of his wife again.

_They should've stayed in her custody. Although, whether what happened could've been prevented, I don't know._

''Springtrap?''

He looked down Sam, who gave him a curious look.

''I just was remembering something,'' he replied. ''So, what do your parents do?''

''Mum owns a second-hand store. She tends to travel around, buy stuff, refurbish it and sell it. Her friend from high-school works in the store as well, watching over it when she is away. That also means that I'm often home alone,'' Sam said briskly. ''Dad works at a video game development company. He sometimes lets me beta test some of their games, as long as I keep my mouth shut and don't spoil anything.''

''I guess your mother isn't currently at home,'' Springtrap said as he looked around.

''I think she'll be back in a few days, and until then, I need to come up with a good excuse about why you're here, as I doubt that revealing your true identity will do us any good,'' Sam said. ''I have to warn you, though. She's scary good at finding out about stuff you'd rather keep a secret. Once she gives you that gaze, you'll start confessing to things you didn't even know about.''

She shuddered.

''I'll keep that in mind,'' Springtrap said, wondering whether Sam was exaggerating things.

''Anyways, you can have a look around,'' Sam said, going towards the stairs. ''I'll be back soon.''

As she sprinted upstairs, Springtrap took a peek at the living room, drawn to the photos on the wall. They showed him what appeared to be Sam when she was a little girl, as well as her parents, all smiling happily at the camera. Another photo showed an older Sam, blowing out the candles on her 7th birthday. Another one showed her caught while playing a game, laughing happily as she probably won against her father. A smaller one showed her hugging her mother in the park, with autumn leaves falling around them.

An empty feeling spread through Springtrap's chest as he looked away from the photos. He didn't understand why he felt like this. There was always that feeling of misery and grief, and no matter what he did, it would not go away. Even when he showed joy during a murder, it was only brief and it was soon replaced by the emptiness he usually felt. However, an attempt to make himself feel better was certainly no excuse nor justification for his actions.

''Hey, Springtrap!'' He lift his head, looking at Sam, now having changed into her PJs. ''Since it's late now, I figured we could talk about this in the morning. You can stay in the guest room for the night.'' He kept silent as he followed her upstairs, with Sam pointing at the doors. ''This is the guest room and the one next it is mine. The one down the corridor is Mum's bedroom and across it is the bathroom.''

Springtrap looked curiously at the poster on the door that led to Sam's room. It was an image of a white bunny who was lying in a basket, with the sentence ''Stay away – I'm sleeping''.

''Yeah, I might need to change that,'' Sam muttered and then opened the door to the guest room. It looked rather cozy, having a bed in the corner and a couch underneath the window. Across the bed was a small cabinet. ''Anyways, I'll see you in the morning then. Good night!''

''Good night,'' Springtrap replied, watching her as she left and hearing the door to her room close. He looked around the room, feeling that the situation wasn't that bad and it was surely better than being stuck in that office.

However, his current state came with a little problem – boredom. One of the things he had discovered when he got trapped inside the springlock suit was that he had no need to sleep, therefore leaving him with nothing to do during the night, unless you could count him pacing around in the sealed safe room as doing something. He didn't want to sneak around the house while Sam was asleep either, although he felt that it was strange that she was fine with having a serial killer stay at her home.

He sighed as he sat on the couch, recalling his conversation with Sam, wondering whether he really should've accepted her help. He knew that she was right when she said that he was broken. He knew that he also had to do something about those hallucinations he had, before they cause him to have a complete mental breakdown or make him do something he would regret.

He lied down on the couch, looking through the window at the night sky as he thought about Henry. He wondered what his old friend would think about his decision. Would he even accept the idea of William trying to atone for what he did? He knew that Henry considered him his friend, but after his stunt with the Missing Children Incident and their encounter at Fazbear's Fright, it became clear that Henry had given up all hope on William and all he wanted to do was to personally take him down.

 _''And to you monsters trapped in the corridors, be still and give up your spirits. They don't belong to you. For most of you, I believe there is peace and perhaps more, waiting for you after the smoke clears. Although, for_ one _of you, the darkest pit of Hell has opened to swallow you whole, so don't keep the Devil waiting,_ old friend _.''_

Springtrap frowned, remembering the fire and his futile attempts of escaping the maze. Even the fire at Fazbear's Fright wasn't as bad as this inferno.

_''It's time to rest; for you, and for those you have carried into your arms. This ends for all of us. End communication.''_

''Apparently, it wasn't the end of communication,'' Springtrap muttered, his eyes flaring purple. ''The story isn't over yet, _old friend_.''

**xXx**

Sam rolled over in her bed, half-awake and eyes still closed as she attempted to continue to sleep. She was aware that it was morning, but she felt that it was way too early. Still, sleepy, she reached for her phone on the nightstand, only for her fingers to brush against something soft. She opened her eyes and screamed.

''Springtrap!''

She got up, having found herself staring back at Springtrap, who was crouching right next to her bed, looking eager.

''Are you awake?'' he asked nonchalantly.

''I usually sleep til 10 when I don't have school and it's…'' she reached for her smartphone, ''7 AM?'' She groaned, lying back on her bed. Springtrap stood up, still looking at her. ''How long have you been watching me?''

''Since sunrise,'' he replied. ''My soul is animating this animatronic suit, so there is no need for me to rest.''

Sam sighed.

''Okay, I'll be up soon. You can go ahead.''

Springtrap exited the room, but instead of going downstairs, he waited in front of the closed door. Minutes passed and Sam wasn't coming out, and there was also no sound coming from the room either. Wondering whether something happened, Springtrap slowly opened the door, peeking inside the room. He frowned when he saw that Sam was fast asleep.

Thinking about how to get her to wake up, his eyes flared purple. He walked over to Sam, who seemed to be blissfully unaware of what was going to happen next.

''SCREEEEAAAAAGHH!''

''Aaagh!'' Sam jumped out of her bed while covering her ears, now wide awake. She stared at Springtrap in disbelief, who was laughing.

''Are you awake now?'' he asked as he saw her expression. Sam sighed.

''Yeah, I am.''

**xXx**

A little while later, Sam, who had changed into her daily outfit, was sitting at the table in the kitchen, with a bowl of cereal in front of her. She switched between glancing at the notifications on her smartphone and glaring at Springtrap, who was sitting across her.

''You brought it upon yourself,'' Springtrap said. ''What else did you expect that would happen when you brought me here?''

''Okay, you got a point. However I really could've done without you screeching into my ears,'' Sam replied and yawned. ''Anyways, it would've been creepier if you were in that withered springlock suit.''

''I was, at least when I woke up,'' Springtrap said, glancing at his hand. ''Until the animatronic glitched out… or maybe I was hallucinating the whole thing.''

''I guess that, whatever brought you back here, seems to love messing with you,'' Sam said, with Springtrap looking annoyed. ''I guess that what matters is that you're back.''

''I always come back,'' Springtrap said, his eyes glowing in a soft purple. He sounded quite confident, although something did bother him. _I always come back,_ _but, at what cost?_

''I can only imagine how frustrated those who know you feel,'' Sam said, as if reading his mind. ''I went to Fazbear's Fright once, several days before it got burned down.''

''Really? I thought that the place wasn't even supposed to be open until the week after,'' Springtrap said.

''Let's just say that I have a habit of exploring places I'm not supposed to be at. You saw me yesterday,'' Sam said, with Springtrap wanting to tell her that, technically, he was the one who dragged her inside Freddy's, but decided to keep silent. ''Anyways, I didn't get to go inside because the night guard chased me away.''

''I suppose that was a good thing. If you went inside, you would never come out,'' Springtrap said, his eyes flaring purple, looking menacing.

''I am aware of that,'' Sam said in a deadpan tone. ''I saw you there.''

Springtrap looked surprised. ''Really?''

''Yeah, but I didn't think much of it. Now that I'm more familiar with what happened, I'm glad I stayed away from that place,'' Sam said. ''Anyways, who even was the night guard during the week before the fire?''

''He-'' Springtrap wondered why she would ask him that, having a bad feeling about this. He vividly remembered what happened during the last night he spent at Fazbear's Fright. He managed to reach the office, looking through the glass window at the man he never thought he would see again. The flames had already engulfed half of the building, but at this point, he didn't feel anything except for the desire to confront the one who had been messing with him all those past nights. ''He was my old partner, Henry Emily.''

He saw Sam's eyes widening, as if she had already anticipated this answer. The expression she had was that of someone captivated by a story, wanting to know all the details. Springtrap wondered whether he even wanted to deal with that, only to remembered that he had already agreed to this.

''So, how did this whole thing with Freddy's started?'' Sam asked.

''I thought that you already knew about it,'' Springtrap replied.

''I don't know everything. I haven't lived through it like you did,'' Sam said, pouting. She stood up, putting the empty bowl into the dishwasher and leaned against it, looking back at Springtrap. ''Besides, I'm sure that you also have questions about what happened after you got incinerated. I mean, I did tell you what happened, but you'd probably want a more detailed description of it.''

''It wouldn't be a bad thing…''

''Hold that thought!'' Springtrap stared in surprise as Sam rushed upstairs, only to return with her laptop and beckon to him to follow her into the living room, where she placed her laptop on the coffee table and opened it, looking rather excited. Springtrap wondered whether she ever shared her theories with anyone else beside him as he walked over to her. He looked at her laptop as she found a website and showed it to him. It was quite colorful, with the logo of the website featuring a grey wolf holding a microphone.

 _''Ricky's Wonder Shack,_ '' he read as it dawned him. ''Is this some kind of restaurant similar to Freddy's?''

''Correct. They have already declared themselves as the rivals to Freddy Fazbear's Pizza,'' Sam said as she scrolled down the website and let Springtrap read.

_''We are proud to introduce you to Ricky and the Misfits, our mascots who will guide you through Ricky's Wonder Shack, where fun and safety are guaranteed. Visit our prize corner and win gifts for yourself and your friends or simply enjoy a nice meal with your family. Our staff will make sure to provide your the best experience and our animatronics will give you the time of your life.''_

''Here's the interesting part,'' Sam said as she opened another page and scrolled down. The page consisted of a bunch of house rules, guidelines and explanations. _''We are in no way affiliated with Fazbear Entertainment (or any other company) and will never be. Our animatronics are brand new and have no issues, nor have they ever shown any. We can ensure you that they are 100% safe, unlike some other company's mascots. If you have any complaint, it will be dealt with as soon as possible.''_

''They really like to insult Fazbear Entertainment,'' Springtrap said. ''Have you been there?''

''Several times, especially after I found out they make awesome milkshakes for a reasonable price,'' Sam said.

''I somehow doubt that you're going there only because of their food,'' Springtrap said.

''Actually, the first time I went there was because of the animatronics,'' Sam replied, tilting her head. ''As much as I know, they're not haunted.'' She pointed at each of the mascots. ''They are Ricky, Dahlia, Quentin, Virgil and Max.''

She glanced at Springtrap, who seemed to be indifferent. She narrowed her eyes, pouting, with Springtrap giving her a confused look when she crossed her arms.

''What's wrong?'' he asked.

''It's just,… I thought you'd have something to say about this,'' Sam replied.

''I don't think Fazbear Entertainment is my problem anymore, nor this new restaurant,'' Springtrap replied.

''Maybe, but you and Henry created this whole franchise, didn't you?''

''That's true,'' Springtrap said in a quiet voice, recalling Henry's joy when they were done with their first animatronic. He still remembered the pride he felt when they accomplished something they were working on for months.

''So, how did this whole thing started out?'' Sam asked. ''As much as I understand, one of you was responsible for creating animatronics that brought joy to children, while the other is responsible for Freddy's dark past. Basically, two sides of one coin.''

''You know, I have never agreed to telling you anything,'' Springtrap replied, only to be taken aback when she gave him a hopeful look. ''Why are you looking at me like that?''

''I understand that you wouldn't talk about the past, especially since it still haunts you,'' Sam said.

''That's not what I meant,'' Springtrap replied, his eyes flaring purple.

''Then explain the hallucinations.''

''Only because I'm hallucinating things doesn't mean I need to tell you what happened,'' Springtrap replied.

''I think that the reason why you have hallucinations is because either you are afraid to accept the past or you don't want to confront it,'' Sam said.

''I am not a coward,'' Springtrap snapped.

''I do believe that,'' Sam said. ''Would a coward really let himself get killed on purpose by a springlock suit, facing his death while laughing like a madman?''

''I may not have known what exactly would've happened to me if I did let myself get killed, but I knew that my soul would be bound to the animatronic,'' Springtrap said, a smug grin on his expression. ''Let's be honest, death was a small price for what could be described as effective immortality.''

''In other words, you didn't run towards the suit because you were panicking when confronted by the spirits of the children you had killed and had accidentally triggered the springlocks,'' Sam said.

''No, I-'' Springtrap cut himself off when he saw Sam's sheepish grin.

''You know, getting you worked up about your past is a small prize for getting the answers to my questions,'' she said.

''You're really a manipulative smartass,'' Springtrap said, his eyes still glowing purple even though his rage subsided. ''First your antics at Freddy's, and now this.''

''To be honest, I don't want all of our conversations to be like this. It just feels stupid,'' Sam replied. ''Also, before you tell me again that I shouldn't be asking you anything if I already know everything, there is a difference between hearing it from you and just trying to figure it out from an already confusing video game.'' Springtrap wanted to say something, but Sam interrupted him, now all fired up. ''Besides, do you really care about my opinion of what you did? Are you afraid of me judging you? I'm pretty sure I have already stated my opinion on that matter. Also-''

''Sam, I'm getting your point,'' Springtrap interrupted her. He sighed. ''I brought it upon myself, didn't I?''

''Yeah, you did,'' Sam said rather bluntly. However, her expression softened.

''Fine, then answer me just one thing. Why do you even want to know everything about what happened? It is not like you'll be able to do anything that could change what I did or what happened in the past,'' Springtrap said. ''What does it mean to you?''

''Because I'm curious and because I want to understand what exactly happened and why it happened. It would also help me to better understand you as a person,'' Sam said, with Springtrap looking at her in surprise. ''Besides, you said that there's something you have started and that you need to finish. Don't you think that by digging in your own past, you might figure out what that was supposed to be?''

Springtrap had to admit that she had a point. However, what he didn't expect was that, despite everything she said and knew, she still wanted to get to know him better. He wanted to laugh it off, but for some reason, it made him feel at ease that someone showed genuine interest in his life without threatening to apprehend him for his crimes. Or maybe it was just because he felt lonely, since for a long time, his only conversation partners had been screaming robots, and now he had someone he could talk to without fearing that his soul would get torn apart.

''What do you want to know?'' he asked.

''Thank you,'' Sam said, noting Springtrap's surprised expression. ''There's a lot I'd like to ask you about. I mean, I already asked you about how this whole thing started. It was something about Fredbear's Family Diner, wasn't it?''

''Exactly. Henry came up with it, and we created two animatronic mascots for it, a bear and a bunny,'' Springtrap said. ''Fredbear and Bonnie, or rather, Spring Bonnie. It was a rather smile diner, but after a while, it got expanded, although I assume you already know that.''

''I know that later, Freddy Fazbear's Pizza came along, but I don't really know what happened in-between. I do know that you had your own company, Afton Robotics,'' Sam said, sitting on the other end of the couch with her legs crossed as she looked at Springtrap.

''How do you even-'' He shook his head. ''Forget it.''

''I think I'll later show you how exactly I got to all of that information,'' Sam said, looking curiously at him. ''Speaking of the mascots, there were multiple variations of Fredbear and Spring Bonnie, right?''

''Correct. At first there were just the animatronics and actual costumes, until someone came up with the bright idea to create a hybrid, a springlock suit,'' Springtrap explained.

''I assume that was your bright idea.''

''Actually, it wasn't. Henry was the one who started to build them, and I just helped along,'' Springtrap said, examining his hand and then clenching it into a fist. ''But that didn't mean I didn't use them, despite the fact that I knew how dangerous they could be.'' His eyes glowed in a soft purple when he noticed that Sam looked a little disturbed. ''You said you wanted details, didn't you? You see, if you trigger those spring locks, two things will happen: first the locks themselves will snap right into you, making deep cuts all over your body, and a split second later, all the animatronic parts, all that sharp steel and hard plastic will instantly be driven into your body. You will die, but it will be slow. You'll feel your organs punctured, the suit will grow wet with your blood, and you will know you’re dying for long, long minutes. You'll try to scream, but you will be unable to: your vocal cords will be severed, and your lungs will fill with your own blood until you drown in it.''

He observed Sam with delight as she shuddered, looking positively unnerved. However, delight turned into surprise when she gave him a look of pity.

''Sounds really awful, not to mention, you had a first-hand experience of what it felt like,'' Sam said.

''Actually, that wasn't my first time,'' Springtrap said. ''I accidentally ended up triggering it once before, but I managed to survive. However, I was left with scars all over my body.''

''And you still put on the suit…''

''Didn't we already establish that I had my own reasons for doing that?''

''It doesn't make it less horrifying,'' Sam replied. Springtrap had to admit that she had a point. He did wonder what would've happened if he hadn't known what would happen to him if he put the suit on and whether he would even do it. In the end, he came to the conclusion that he probably would do the same again.

Sam fell silent, leaning her head on her hands and staring into space as she, what Springtrap assumed, tried to come up with another question. He felt that, for someone so curious, she certainly was unprepared. Although, none of them expected this kind of outcome.

''You know, even though I kept annoying you about asking questions, and then there's the fact that you proved that you are dangerous and have no restraint,'' Sam muttered.

''Don't tell me that you don't want to be part of this anymore. You were the one who offered me help,'' Springtrap said, crossing his arms. Sam shook her head, confusing him. She sat up, looking at him straight in the eyes, making him feel a little unsettled.

''I do mean it,'' she said calmly. ''However, I think that, before I ask you anything else, I need to know something. Do _you_ really want this? Are _you_ okay with the idea of trying to even atone for what you did?'' She then stood up, grabbing her laptop and looking back at the stunned animatronic, who did not expect such question. ''Think a little about it, because I feel that none of us are currently comfortable with any of this.''

She then walked away, going upstairs into her room. Springtrap was surprised by her sudden change of attitude.

 _Do_ I  _really want this?_

He was sent here to atone for what he did, right? However, at the same time, this didn't mean he needed to follow the suggestion. He had the freedom to do what he wanted, but he was aware that, if he decided to murder again, it would come with a heavy price that might destroy him completely. However, he knew that he wasn't the person who would seek redemption simply because someone told him he should. He was dangerous, he was manipulative and he didn't care about anyone or anything else but his own desires.

And Sam knew that. Springtrap was aware that her behavior was a mix of her wondering whether she could help him and her wondering whether he should be helped or incinerated again. She wanted to trust him, but she couldn't. After all, he was a murderer and he was a risk for her own safety. It was already baffling that she brought him to her place and offered him help. She gave him a choice and everything what would happen after that would be influenced by his decision.

However, what surprised him the most was that she actually did trust him to not make the same decision again. She hoped that he wouldn't take the same murderous path that sent him to Hell.

_''You can still salvage what you have left.''_

''Can I really do that?'' he muttered. To be honest, he didn't trust himself either. It would've been easier if he just murdered her right then and there and went somewhere else. Perhaps, that would be the right decision… There was no one to stop him. He could visit the past in his own way.

Suddenly, he saw red before his eyes. The suit was stained with, what at first looked like black ink, but he realized soon that it was blood. He looked around, startled to see flashing lights all over him. Looking down, he was on a stage, wearing a different suit, albeit it was still the Spring Bonnie mascot. He couldn't move at all. His arms were stiff, holding a microphone. He attempted to scream, to move, but nothing he did helped. It was like someone else controlled him.

Suddenly, he heard children's laughter. _They_ were laughing at him, whispering how he was a pathetic excuse for a human and a complete monster who deserved all the pain he felt. They wanted to go for the overkill, not caring whether he had suffered enough. They didn't care whether he was even capable of redeeming himself. Nothing he did could earn him forgiveness. They knew that he had never felt sorry for what he did. He had laughed at their pain, didn't he? Therefore, he deserved even worse.

_''Look at all the horrible things he had done!''_

_''Why would anyone think of bringing him back?''_

_''Why would anyone want to give him a second chance?!''_

_''He's broken! He'll never change!''_

_''Let's break him down further! Tear him apart!''_

He fell on his knees, the microphone flying out of his hands. He saw something dripping down from his head and he touched his cheeks. Blood, like tears, formed in the corner of his eyes and was flowing down, staining the fur. _Why am I crying?_

_''Murderer! Murderer!''_

_''You're so cruel!''_

_''Stay away from her!''_

_''Go back to Hell!''_

_''You're not getting a second chance! You will never get one!''_

_''We're not afraid of you!''_

Their screams became louder, with Springtrap staring at the floor, agony rushing through his body. He was twitching, feeling as if he spring locks had come loose and all of the metal and plastic pieces were driven on to his body again and again.

_Why am I feeling like this?_

Despair overwhelmed him. It was a vicious cycle, one he had attempted to escape. But his actions would come back to haunt him, and every time it would become even worse. The children were gone, but he could still hear them. He could hear their screams, their crying and their derisive laughter as they mocked and taunted him. There was nothing he could do.

_I will never change._

Blood dripped on the floor. He couldn't even cry real tears.

_This is my punishment._

He looked up, dazed by the flashing lights and incoherent screaming. The people he saw had no faces, but were just unrecognizable shadows.

_If I decide to murder again…_

The microphone on the ground vanished, replaced by a blood-stained knife. He grabbed it, still feeling dizzy. The shadows gathered around a pool of blood, looking at another one of his victims. Springtrap's vision cleared and he saw the body of the only person who gave him another chance.

_I have nothing left…_

''No…''

The screams and accusations became louder and incomprehensible, but he knew that they all were saying the same. They were calling him a monster, someone beyond salvation…

''Shut up!'' he screamed at them, throwing the knife away. ''I didn't kill her!''

_''That's what you wanted, didn't you?''_

Among all the screaming, there was a calm voice speaking to him. He lowered his head, shaking in fear and agony. This was worse than Hell. What happened there was just someone's sick desire to punish him, but _this_ was reality. _This_ was possible and it would happen eventually.

_''You don't deserve pity, yet you found one person who decided to trust you. You somehow found someone who felt sorry for you, despite knowing what you did. And you KILLED HER!''_

''I didn't! This is just another hallucination!''

He felt a chilling feeling spreading through his chest when the voice started to laugh at him in a disdainful tone.

_''Do you really believe that? You don't trust yourself either.''_

''Please…''

_''You wanted to repeat the past. You're now the main attraction. Do what you want, but even if you try to atone, you won't find peace. **We** won't let you find any peace.''_

Springtrap's eyes suddenly flared purple as he gathered the strength to confront the voice.

''I don't care if I don't find peace. I know that I never will. I won't lie to myself either that I could ever earn forgiveness.'' His own voice was shaky, but he managed to remain focused. ''However, I am _not_ going to let someone tell me what I will do and what I won't! I make my own decisions!''

_''Even if this means that the people around you will suffer?''_

''I won't let that happen.''

The other person snorted.

_''We'll see about that. It's only a matter of time until you start killing again.''_

The voice grew distant, laughing at him. Everything had vanished, leaving Springtrap in the darkness. His closed his eyes, shaking and feeling torn.

''What should I do?''

**xXx**

When he opened his eyes, he found himself lying on the floor. It was getting dark outside, causing him to wonder how long he had been unconscious. The clock on the wall told him that hours had passed and that it was already late afternoon. He sat up, noticing a blanket falling off his back. He looked at it in surprise.

_Sam…_

He looked around, wondering where she was. While she had been concerned enough to check on him, she didn't want to risk being in the same room as him. He understood that.

After folding the blanket and placing it on the couch, he went upstairs, assuming Sam was in her room. He knocked on the door, waiting for a response.

''What's your answer?''

At first, Springtrap felt confused, but then he lowered his head. He didn't have any.

''I don't know,'' he said, feeling how that was a pathetic response. To his surprise, the door did open, with Sam emerging out of her room. She held up her hand as if attempting to high-five him.

''Five nights,'' she told the confused animatronic. ''I'll give you five nights to make up your mind, starting with today. Whatever happens after that will depend on what you do during the time you're given.''

''I understand.'' Springtrap nodded, and added in a quiet tone, ''Thank you.''

She returned back to her room, with Springtrap lingering outside. He wasn't sure whether he was even allowed to enter her room and he didn't want her to think of him as an intruder, despite the fact that he was one. However, despite being insecure and doubtful about what he would do next, he made one firm decision.

He wanted to work on earning Sam's trust and prove himself that he was not a danger to her (although he couldn't say the same for the rest of society). It wasn't much, but that was the decision he made for tonight. However, whether he could keep the promise he made to himself until the end of the time period he had been given, he wasn't sure.

''Don't worry, you can come inside,'' she said, giving him a nonchalant look. A little startled, Springtrap nodded, entering her room and looking around curiously. It looked rather normal, with a closet, a bed, posters on the walls and books on shelves above the desk Sam was sitting at. He noticed that she also had a collection of video games and plushies, as well as a gaming console tucked neatly in the corner of a lower shelf. There was also a purple bean bag underneath the window.

''So, what are you doing?'' he asked her, trying to remain calm and not show just how insecure he felt.

''Playing _Five Nights at Freddy's_ ,'' she replied, only to wince when there was a loud scream and the GAME OVER screen showing her the night guard being stuffed in a Freddy suit in the parts and service room. ''Well, damnit.''

''That's the video game you were talking about,'' Springtrap said as Sam returned back to the main menu screen, being greeted by a twitching and glitched out Freddy Fazbear. He didn't expect to be met with this animatronic's mugshot ever again.

''Yep,'' Sam said, starting the night.

_''Hello, hello? Hey! Hey, wow, day 4. I knew you could do it. Uh, hey, listen, I may not be around to send you a message tomorrow. *banging sound* It's-It's been a bad night here for me. Um, I-I'm kinda glad that I recorded my messages for you *clears throat* uh, when I did.''_

Springtrap observed Sam curiously as she switched cameras between Freddy and Foxy, then turned to the hallways to check for Bonnie and Chica, all the while listening to whoever was talking on the phone.

_''Uh, hey, do me a favor. *bang bang* Maybe sometime, uh, you could check inside those suits in the back room? *bang bang* I'm gonna to try to hold out until someone checks. Maybe it won't be so bad. *bang bang* Uh, I-I-I-I always wondered what was in all those empty heads back there. *chime plays*. You know...*moan* oh, no - *noises followed by an animatronic screech and static*''_

''To be honest, this isn't not what I actually expected  when you told me that there were video games based on what happened,'' Springtrap said. He did recognize the restaurant as the one from the 90s, seemingly the last official location, at least until Fazbear's Fright came along. It was also the location he managed to get himself trapped in, although none of the cameras showed the hidden safe room.

''This is just the first game, so there's a lot more to explore,'' Sam said as she stopped Foxy from charging into the office. ''It is also the most basic.''

''Care to explain?''

_''SCREEEEEEEEEEE!''_

Sam groaned when she got killed by Freddy again, then turned to Springtrap, giving a smile that made him feel rather unnerved.

''I guess I should,'' she said, closing the game and opening a file with numerous documents, all, while being different, having the word _FNaF_ written somewhere. ''It's actually really easy and straightforward, although it doesn't give you much answers and it opens several new ones, which can be answered if you connect it to the other games.''

She scrolled down the file, which featured transcripts of the phone calls.

''You play as a night guard named Mike Schmidt, who decided to take the job at Freddy's sometime in 1992 or 1993. The only reason I knew about the year was because of the minimum wage that is written on your check when you complete the nights. In any case, Mike gets calls from this person I call Phone Guy, who tells him about the company policy, like _'Fazbear Entertainment is not responsible for damage to property or person. Upon discovering that damage or death has occurred, a missing person report will be filed within 90 days, or as soon property and premises have been thoroughly cleaned and bleached, and the carpets have been replaced'_ ,'' she read one of the transcripts.

''That does sound like them,'' Springtrap commented.

''Anyways, Phone Guy also tells you how to deal with the animatronics. Sure, you have doors and cameras, but you also have limited power during every night and the animatronics become only more aggressive. According to Phone Guy, the reason why they are after you is because they think you're an endoskeleton and therefore, you need to be stuffed in a suit. Also, Fazbear Entertainment doesn't tell anyone who signs up for this mess what's going on,'' Sam explained. ''Also, there was something about the Bite of '87, when the animatronics were still allowed to roam around and someone lost their frontal lobe because of them, but I that's for the second and fourth game. Speaking of Phone Guy, you heard that call when was playing Night 4. He died at the hands of the animatronics during that night, meaning all of the calls were indeed pre-recorded, but hadn't been deleted by the company.''

''I understand. Is that all?'' Springtrap asked, with Sam shaking her head.

''You see, there are the animatronics: Freddy Fazbear, Bonnie, Chica and Foxy, but they're not alone. There is also a yellow version of Freddy who can teleport into the office – Golden Freddy – showing that there's a lot more to it than just malfunctioning animatronics. I'm getting ahead of myself, but I know there is the withered Spring Bonnie suit hidden off camera inside the safe room. Then, there's the Puppet, or Marionette, who is also present in the restaurant, but hidden,'' Sam added, noticing how Springtrap's eyes started to glow purple. ''You knew?''

''Only after I found myself cornered in the safe room,'' he replied, glancing away. He could still see them, black streaks on their cheeks, as they watched him die in the most excruciating way possible. Sam gave him a curious look and, after a moment of silence, decided to continue.

''This is what clued me in,'' she said as she scrolled down further and shuffling away. ''You can read it yourself.''

Springtrap moved closer, reading the transcripts of the newspaper articles Sam had found in the game.

_'' **Kids vanish at local pizzaria – bodies not found.** Two local children were reportedly lured into a back room during the late hours of operation at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza on the night of June 26th. While video surveliance identified the man responsible and led to his capture the following morning, the children themselves were never found and are presumed dead. Police think that the suspect dressed as a company mascot to earn the children's trust.''_

_'' **Five children now reported missing. Suspect convicted.** Five children are now linked to the incident at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, where a man dressed as a cartoon mascot lured then into a back room. While the suspect has been charged, the bodies themselves were never found. Freddy Fazbear's Pizza has been fighting an uphill battle ever since to convince families to return to the pizzaria. 'It's a tragedy'.''_

_'' **Local pizzaria threatened with shutdown over sanitation.** Local pizzaria, Freddy-Fazbear's Pizza has been threatened again with shutdown by the health department over reports of foul odor coming from the much-loved animal mascots. Police were contacted when parents reportedly noticed what appeared to be blood and mucus around the eyes and mouths of the mascots. One parent alikened them to 'reanimated carcasses'.''_

_'' **Local pizzaria said to close by years end.** After a long struggle to stay in business after the tragedy that took place there many years ago, Freddy Fazbear's Pizza has announced that it will close by year's end. Despite a year-long search for a buyer, companies seem unwilling to be associated with the company. 'These characters will live on. In the hears of kids – these characters will live on.' – CEO''_

''I still can't believe that this really happened more than 30-40 years ago and that the person who is responsible for it is standing right next to me,'' Sam said, glaring at Springtrap. ''This is no laughing matter. Don't you have to say anything about it?''

He lowered his head, remembering being questioned about the Missing Children Incident. However, they couldn't prove anything. The bodies have never been found and nobody would believe that that the souls could possess the animatronics.

''I was the one who killed them,'' he admitted, sounding crestfallen. ''Nobody, aside from me, knew what happened.''

''Did they suffer?''

He looked at her, with Sam's expression being a mix of worry and animosity. He knew that she wanted him to be honest, no matter how bad the truth was.

''I-'' He shook his head. ''They died quickly, although it was bloody. However, most of the suffering came from being trapped inside the animatronics and unable to move on.''

''That and wanting to get revenge on you,'' Sam said. ''That's why they went after the night guards. They knew you would eventually return.''

Springtrap sat on Sam's bed, not really knowing what to make of the situation anymore. While Sam had already made it clear what she thought about him, he felt that this was making the situation only worse.

''Hey, Springtrap…'' He looked up at her. ''How about going back to Freddy's tonight?''

''Why?'' He looked at her confused. She didn't seem to be really angry at him, although her being calm wasn't better either.

''To search for answers. You were brought there, so maybe you should've examined the place,'' Sam said.

''That location is empty,'' Springtrap replied.

''Really? Have you even explored the place before you decided to kidnap me?'' Sam asked.

''Not exactly,'' he said sheepishly. Sam gave him a knowing look, a smile on her expression.

''At least we know what we're going to do tonight,'' she said. Springtrap sighed, not really liking where this was going.

**xXx**

A flashlight illuminated the ground of the building, bobbing as the man looked around. His steps were steady and focused as he examined every room, making sure nobody was inside after hours. Soon, he too would retire for the rest of the night.

One of the rooms he visited was in the back of the building, looking more like a storage closet filled with coats. However, those were actually costumes placed on the hangers. Just as he was about to close the room, he noticed movement in the corner of his eye.

''Hello? Anybody there?'' he called out in a gruff voice. ''You aren't supposed to be here.''

He entered the room, flashing the light at the costumes, but he didn't see anyone. However, he was certain that something had moved. He walked over to the costumes, pointing his flashlight at them. One of the costumes was hanging askew, as if it was just thrown inside. He assumed that this is what drew his attention and decided to leave.

However, before he could do that, the costume suddenly lunged at him, and he felt a sharp pain spreading through his chest. Whoever wore the mascot suit plunged a knife deep into his chest. He tried to scream, but the mascot put its paw over his mouth, gently lowering him down as he choked in his own blood. Seconds later, he was dead. The mascot stared at the man with its bloodshot eyes, then put a finger on its lips.

''Shhhhhhhh…''


	5. You're Not Alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy the story so far. Please leave a review, as I'd like know your opinion on my story.

**Night 4**

**You're Not Alone**

_''And I can't give you back the things you had, but you don't have to do this on your own. Even if you're never coming home, you're not alone, you're not alone… You're not alone!''_

_– **The Puppet Song** by TryHardNinja ft. SailorUrLove_

**xXxXxXx**

Springtrap had expected that the back door to Freddy's would be locked, but to his and Sam's surprise, it was unlocked. Hadn't anyone decided to check on the place or did they just forget to lock it? Granted, it had been unlocked when he kidnapped Sam, but someone would think they would put a little more thought into security. On the other hand, this was Fazbear Entertainment, who, as long as they could cover it up, didn't really care.

_And I'm supposed to be the bad guy in this story._

In hindsight, though, this whole mess wouldn't have started if it weren't for him. However, he didn't doubt that, even if he hadn't killed anyone, that Fazbear Entertainment would still seek excuses and would cover up whatever incident occurs in this place. To make it worse, there would always be people who would take advantage of family friendly restaurants like Freddy's and cause their own kind of chaos. He guessed that the only reason he was the main attraction of this story was because he somehow found a way to let the animatronics become haunted and even created murderous robots of his own. That, and the fact that he just wouldn't stay dead.

He watched as Sam opened the door, contemplating whether to use her flashlight, as she feared that someone might see the light. Instead, she put it back into the bag she was carrying and pulled out her phone, whose screen light was much weaker.

''What are we even searching for?'' Springtrap asked her as he closed the door behind them.

''I'm not sure,'' Sam replied, shrugging. ''Although, it doesn't seem like it will take much time to comb through this place.''

They entered the main area, where the stage was. It was still empty, with no robots in sight, the only thing there being tables and chairs, as well as one or the other box with party hats and decorations inside them. Instead of going inside, Sam went straight towards the office with the cameras, turning them on and switching through them.

''It is still not recording anything,'' she told Springtrap, who was peeking inside the small office.

''I think someone was going by the logic that, if there's nothing to steal, there's no need for security,'' Springtrap said. ''People who like to break in for fun, on the other hand…''

''Weren't you the co-creator and therefore co-owner of Freddy's? You may be dead, but this is still your legacy,'' Sam replied, smiling slyly. ''Therefore, I'm not breaking in as much as entering with the former owner's permission.''

''Smartass,'' Springtrap muttered, although sounding a little impressed. Sam turned the cameras off, with Springtrap following her to what seemed to be the manager's office. Springtrap figured that it would be empty just as the rest of the building, but Sam opened the drawers, searching for something.

''Bingo!'' she said as she pulled out a paper, which seemed to be carelessly thrown into the drawer, along with a shredded flyer for Ricky's Wonder Shack. She smoothed the paper, showing it to Springtrap, who read what appeared to be some kind of notification.

''I guess that explains why this place isn't open yet,'' he said. The notification was about the delivery of the animatronics being suspended due to technical difficulties the manufacturers had been experiencing. Since the animatronics were the main attraction, they wouldn't open the location until they were completely sure everything was running smoothly.

''I wonder what they meant when they talked about 'technical difficulties','' Sam said, putting the paper back the way she found it after taking a picture of it with her smartphone.

''Who knows,'' Springtrap said, shrugging. ''Maybe they were attempting to copy what Henry and I had done with the animatronics, but were unable to do it.''

The two walked out, examining the rest of the building, but hadn't found anything. They returned back to the main area, with Sam walking over the empty stage and looking at it, seemingly lost in her thoughts. Springtrap walked over to her, but stopped, realizing that maybe he should leave her alone with whatever thoughts she had.

''You know…'' He lift his head when he heard Sam addressing him. ''I still can't believe that all what happened was real. It still feels like it was just a video game.''

''What makes you say that?'' Springtrap asked. Sam continued without turning to him.

''I tend to explore urban legends that are supposedly based on real stories. I want to know whether what had been described in those creepy stories really happened or not, or whether it was possible for it to really happen. Mostly, they were just that – stories. They were simply pure fiction someone came up with and then spread like wildfire,'' Sam explained, then turned to Springtrap. ''Freddy's… isn't.'' She pointed at the stage. ''That stuff – ghosts, haunted animatronics, a long history of murders and cover-ups – that isn't supposed to happen. That isn't supposed to be real. _This_ isn't supposed to be real.'' She pointed at Springtrap. '' _You_ aren't supposed to be here either, yet you are.''

She calmed down a little when she saw Springtrap's head lowering.

''I know that,'' he said. Sam crossed her arms, looking at him, with Springtrap feeling unnerved by her glare. She was still judging him, pushing for answers. He could tell that she wanted to know more and he was the only one who could provide her with those answers. He was a little impressed by her curiosity and what she was willing to do to gain the answers she wanted. Even though she already told him she knew what he did and was aware of his past, he still had the strange feeling that there was more to it.

''I guess that's all,'' Sam muttered, looking around the room.

''There's still a hidden room if you want to see it. That's where I woke up,'' Springtrap told her, pointing at a hallway near the stage. ''This way, although, it was empty when I was there.''

Sam still followed him, illuminating the hallway with her phone. As they reached the hidden door, she froze, with Springtrap realizing a second later what made her stop.

''What's this?'' she asked, crouching down as she examined what appeared to be red and black stains on the floor, looking like ink. Her eyes widened as she looked at the door, with Springtrap already trying to open it, having come to the same conclusion.

After opening the door, they were met with a gruesome sight. There was another smear of the same ink-like substance on the floor, as if someone had been dragged across it, with a figure sitting in the corner, slumped over like a drunk person. Springtrap's eyes flared purple, while Sam grabbed her flashlight and pointed, her hand shaking, at the figure. She covered her mouth in shock as she saw the dead man, unable to scream. Springtrap had already walked over to the man, avoiding the blood on the floor, and examined him. He was indeed dead, probably for hours. He looked back at Sam, who was rather pale. She may have known what to expect, but it didn't mean that she would react well to something like this.

''Sam, are you okay? Do you want to sit down or-?'' He got cut off when Sam shook her head. She was still shaking, sensing a scent of copper when she slowly walked over to the body. The fact that the man's glassy eyes were open wide in terror didn't make the situation less creepy. She shuddered as she looked at him, with Springtrap readying himself to catch her if she fell over. He wasn't sure how well she could handle this situation and was worried that, in the worst case scenario, she would faint and hit her head.

''He's…'' Sam gulped. ''He's really dead…'' She looked at Springtrap, who simply nodded. She shivered. ''I should've thought about it… That I would start seeing dead bodies eventually.'' She stepped closer, her eyes widening when she realized something. ''Springtrap, this guy…'' She looked back at him. ''The uniform he wears… That's the kind of uniform the security guards at Ricky's Wonder Shack wear.''

''Are you sure?'' Springtrap looked at her in surprise. She nodded firmly.

''Yeah, dark blue shirts with golden collars and cuffs. I saw them several times, there's no mistake,'' she said, shaking her head. ''What is a security guard from Ricky's doing at a Freddy's location? Was he killed here?''

Springtrap looked at the man, noticing a stab wound on his chest and then at the rest of the room.

''No way,'' he said, glancing back at Sam. ''He wasn't killed here, as there is not enough blood. Someone killed him and brought him here.''

''Why would anyone do something like that?'' Sam asked.

''Search me,'' Springtrap said as he stood up. ''We should leave.''

Sam nodded, looking a little relieved when they left. Springtrap closed the door, looking back at Sam, who seemed to be a little distant.

''Are you sure that you're okay?'' he asked.

''I can handle it,'' she replied. ''However, we have a different kind of problem.''

''One that I'm, surprisingly, not responsible for,'' Springtrap said as they entered the main area, going towards the back exit, and briefly glancing back at the hidden room.

''The only thing I can think about is to call the cops and report this,'' Sam said, phone already in her hand. She got startled when Springtrap stepped in front of her.

''If you do that, they will wonder what you were doing here and even probably think that you're connected to this crime,'' he told her, his eyes flaring purple. However, he sounded worried.

''I know that, but the person who killed him is still around,'' Sam replied, albeit lowering her phone. She looked around, as if fearing that the murderer would jump out of a dark corner. ''Something needs to be done.''

''You can count on me,'' Springtrap told her in an assuring tone. He actually really meant it, as he had decided to earn her trust. However, he noticed the hesitant look on her expression, knowing well she wasn't quite ready to completely trust him. He understood that and he didn't press the issue, as he knew that that action would make the situation only worse.

They quickly got outside, with Sam making sure that nobody saw them, but the streets had been empty, as this wasn't really a busy part of the town. Even the nearby buildings had been empty, featuring ''For rent'' signs.

Springtrap noticed that Sam had been rather quiet as they went back to her home, wondering whether he should ask her again whether she was okay. However, he didn't have to.

''I really hate the idea of leaving him behind,'' she said.

''There's nothing you can do to help him,'' Springtrap told her. She looked back at him, this time frowning.

''What is going to happen now?''

''Probably the same you had already read in that video game of yours,'' Springtrap replied. ''Fazbear Entertainment will clean the premises and, while make sure that there is a missing person report, they will also make sure that there will be as little investigation as possible or impossible to connect it back to the company.''

''They still won't be able to get rid off the skeletons in their closet,'' Sam said, still seeing the slumped corpse in front of her. ''Who killed him? Why? Where did the crime take place? Why was he even left at Freddy's?''

Springtrap had a rather unsettling feeling that the past was repeating. Even though it was quite obvious and he even joked about not being responsible for this murder, he was still wondering why Sam wasn't accusing him for being connected to this. After all, anything that happened at Freddy's could be traced back to him, whether directly or indirectly.

_But, I didn't murder this guy._

_''We'll see about that. It's only a matter of time until you start killing again.''_ Suddenly, he heard the voice from his last hallucination, speaking clearly to him. He shook his head as the world around him started to turn black...

''Springtrap!'' The animatronic was startled by Sam's voice, who looked worried. ''Are you having another of your hallucinations?''

''I- I don't think so,'' he replied, but he wasn't completely sure. He was grateful that it stopped before anything could happen.

''I saw you on the floor earlier this day,'' Sam said, giving him a sympathetic look. ''You had been sitting, muttering to yourself or talking to someone. I didn't want to approach you, though.''

''I found the blanket,'' Springtrap muttered, feeling a headache as the memories of the hallucination returned.

''You kind of fell over, looking like you were sleeping,'' Sam said, giving him a wry smile. ''I figured I shouldn't disturb you.''

''I think it was a good idea,'' Springtrap replied. ''Don't take this wrong, but I could've accidentally lashed out at you if you tried to approach me, even if I wasn't aware of it.''

''You're really afraid of hurting me,'' Sam said, with Springtrap realizing how it wasn't a question. He didn't respond. Sam then sighed. ''To be honest, I'm really not sure if I want to be part of this.''

''You don't have to,'' Springtrap replied. ''You told me I had a choice when I decided to come along with you and I believe that you also can choose whether to be part of this horror story or not.''

''I guess you're not the only one who had been given a five nights deadline to make a final decision,'' Sam said, then falling silent. They continued walking in a rather uncomfortable silence, with Springtrap deciding to change the topic.

''So, what do you do when you don't investigate urban legends or explore supposedly haunted places?'' he asked. Sam looked back to him, smiling.

''Well, I like to read books and I tend to play video games. I already told you how my dad works at a game development company and he always buys me new games or the newest console,'' she said.

''I assume you and your friends have a lot of fun with that,'' Springtrap said, only to realize that this was the wrong thing to say. Sam fell silent, even looking angry. ''Sam?''

''I did have a few friends,'' she said in a quiet tone. ''They would often come over to my place and play video games. However, when I wanted to hang out with them, they would they would make up excuses and tell me they're busy. They told me I was annoying, and I started to wonder whether I was bothering them or that I was maybe too pushy. For all I knew, they probably needed the time to do their homework or study for exams, so I was trying to be as nice and considerate as possible and let them make the decision. Somehow, they would always ask to go to my place, but when I refused, they told me I was a bad friend.''

She frowned, with Springtrap having a bad feeling about this.

''Even better, I trusted them! I believed that I was a bad friend and that I should bend over backwards to please them, even though I refused to do that. I believed that I was bothering them with my requests, even though I barely spoke to them. Even when I did speak, they would roll their eyes at me and tell me to shut up. I hated it.'' Sam's eyes sparkled, with tears appearing in the corners of her eyes. ''I almost completely stopped talking to them, even though I still let them come over to my place, since they were my _friends_. However, it was enough for me to realize that they were acting like they owned my house and treated me as if I was their housemaid, asking me to bring them snacks or to give them whatever game they wanted. Hell, I let them borrow a few of my games and when I asked them to return those games, they told me that they had no idea what I was talking about or that they lost them. I went several times to their place, with their parents or siblings letting me in and helping me find my games. Luckily, I was smart enough to write down my name on each video game, so I knew that they belonged to me. My so-called friends weren't happy when they saw me leaving with my video games.''

She shook her head.

''I knew they had been taking advantage of me, but I still refused to accept it. Eventually, I asked them whether they would want to go for an ice and the answer was, obviously, that they didn't have the time for that. When I decided to go alone to the ice cream parlor, I found them already sitting there. They didn't see me, and I sat nearby and heard them talk about me.'' She clenched her fists, now shaking in anger. ''They were talking about how they were glad I wasn't with them. They were calling me names, saying I was a bitch for not letting them walk over me. They were joking about how it would be funny if something happened to me. I had enough at that point.'' She smiled bitterly, refusing to look Springtrap in the eyes. ''I ghosted them, simply as that. I stopped talking to them and when they started wondering why they couldn't go to my place, I pretended they didn't exist. Not exactly mature, but I didn't care. Eventually, they gave up, but not without telling me what a horrible person I was.''

Springtrap noticed that Sam was shaking and, when he got closer, noticed tears flowing down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away, trying to smile as if the whole story didn't affect her at all, but she looked rather withdrawn.

''Am I bothering you?'' she asked, surprising Springtrap. She then shook her head. ''Doesn't matter, you don't have to answer that. Forget about it.''

Springtrap had the uncanny feeling that he now knew the second reason why Sam was so torn about helping him. He also guessed that she kept that inside her for so long, that she simply couldn't stop herself from ranting.

''Do your parents know?''

''I never told them anything, although Mum was really confused when I suddenly started to lock myself in my room,'' Sam replied bitterly. Her expression then softened, with her looking quite tired. ''It wasn't a bad thing, though. I realized that I was better off on my own and that, being a bit of a daydreamer, I was happier spending my time in my own little fantasy worlds. I hated reality.''

''I understand,'' Springtrap said, drawing her attention. ''You felt betrayed, fair and simple. You had a good reason to feel like that.''

Sam didn't answer. The fake smile faded and she looked really hurt, if not a little embarrassed that she told him all of that. It was something she wanted to keep for herself, despite the fact that, at the same time, she wanted to be open about the issue and simply talk to someone. Springtrap wasn't surprised that she had trust issues.

_Trust is something you need to earn. Still, it is surprising how easily it gets destroyed and how hard it is to rebuild it._

He didn't really care whether people trusted him or not. He knew how to gain things via manipulation rather than proving that he was a trustworthy person. Even though he never got it directly confirmed, he knew that Henry probably had a hard time believing that his close friend was a cruel monster who had betrayed him.

However, it was over now. All things that had been said and done had come to an end. Sure, he was haunted by his past now, tormented by hallucinations, but he wasn't going to let the past dictate his current actions, even though he still didn't understand what he was supposed to do.

''You're not bothering me,'' he said, with Sam looking back at him, stunned. ''I'm actually fine being in your company.''

''Sure, and you're going to gloss over the fact that you were irritated by my antics… or the fact that you have tried to kill me,'' Sam replied sarcastically, a wry smile on her expression.

''I am not going to gloss over anything. What happened was my fault,'' Springtrap replied calmly, surprising Sam. ''I simply wanted to be honest with you. Although, your actions don't make any sense.''

''Actions don't have to make sense, but they should have a meaning behind them,'' Sam replied. She was startled when Springtrap suddenly turned to her and put his hands on her shoulders.

''You're not alone,'' he said, the grin on his mask as if widening. ''You can tell me whatever bothers you. I won't complain.''

Sam was still staring at him in confusion, with Springtrap realizing that he may have said the wrong thing. He stepped back, looking crestfallen.

''I messed up, didn't I?'' he said in a quiet tone. ''You said that actions don't have to make sense, but should have a meaning behind them.'' He looked back at her. ''I'm really bad at this, aren't I? I'm trying to be honest with you, but I just come off as creepy.''

''No offense, but you kinda do,'' Sam replied. Springtrap sighed.

''May I be honest about something with you?'' he asked, with Sam nodding, but still looking weirded out. ''I have been thinking about what you told me and I wanted you to know that I understand why you don't trust me. I don't think I would either if I was in your shoes.'' He lowered his head. ''I appreciate your help. I know that you don't have to help me, but you still do, despite the fact that you know how dangerous I am and what I have done. You know what I'm capable of and you still insist on trying to save me.'' He clenched his fists. ''I don't think anyone would ever go this far for me, the least a random girl who is only aware of what happened.'' He glanced back at her, forcing himself to look straight into her eyes. ''I just wanted to thank you for what you did for me. I mean it.''

To his surprise, she was smiling back at him. Springtrap felt the emptiness in his chest briefly disappearing, being replaced with a sense of warmth. It was only for a moment, but he felt relieved that the weight had been finally lifted from his chest. He had realized that Sam was actually genuinely happy that he was being honest with her and he felt that it was worth it seeing her like this.

However, he was aware that this was only one small step he took and that more still waited for him. He knew that what he had done couldn't be forgotten nor forgiven, but he made up his mind to at least focus on the present and change the future, since the past was already impossible to change. To be honest, he was stunned that he even made it this far.

**xXx**

It had been dead in the night, with Springtrap lying on the couch in the guest room and focusing on the novel he was reading. After they had returned back home, Sam ran she ran into her room and emerged with a stack of books, which she shoved into the stunned animatronic's arms, only to vanish into the room and emerge with another stack of books, telling him how he wouldn't be bored anymore during the night. Springtrap figured that there had been enough reading material to last him for weeks, depending on how fast he read the novels.

He checked the covers, noticing that they were mostly of the horror, fantasy, supernatural and crime genre. Some books were novelizations of video games or were based on the video game's universe. Sam also gave him a scrapbook she made on her own, which contained every urban legend she knew about (excluding the ones about Freddy's, as she told him that that one deserved its own book, if not several of them), suggesting sheepishly to read the one titled ''The Bunny Man''. While it sounded interesting, Springtrap wasn't exactly impressed by the supposed carnage The Bunny Man caused, although he could see why Sam would be interested in such urban legend, as it was very possible for it to happen. That, and her pointing out that he was technically also a ''bunny man''.

Currently, he was reading a crime novel about a detective who was struggling against a serial killer who supposedly died years ago in an incident in which the detective was not only involved, but was also forced into retirement because of it. Apparently, only the detective believed that the serial killer didn't die in the incident, as no body had been found. Years later, the serial killer resurfaced again to torment the detective, while at the same time making sure nobody believed him that his old nemesis was still alive and the case should be opened once again. Springtrap had reached a rather tense part of the story, where the serial killer had kidnapped a young woman and poisoned her with slow-acting poison, forcing the detective to reach into a glass box for the antidote. The glass box was actually a trap, rigged to slice off the detective's hand if he made a mistake.

Just as he was about to find out whether the detective lost his hand, he heard movement from outside the guest room. He got up and quietly opened the door, noticing the one to Sam's room closing. He guessed that she probably got up to get a glass of water or something similar. Other than that, the night had been rather calm.

Returning back to the novel, Springtrap couldn't help but think about his conversation with Sam and how they both felt about the whole thing. He had his doubts and even wondered whether it made sense for him to even try to atone for what he did, but he soon realized that he didn't want to go back on his word. He didn't care how this would end, but he wanted to at least make sure he did try to change something about his life.

_You probably didn't expect this, old friend._

There was also the fact that they had another murderer walking around, but whether this had any sort of connection to Freddy's or whether it was a random murder still remained a mystery. While Sam didn't mention it, Springtrap knew that she probably wanted to investigate the murder and perhaps even thought that the past may be repeating.

To be honest, he also had a bad feeling that this wouldn't be the last murder to occur.

**xXx**

Surprisingly, the first thing she sensed when she woke up in the morning was the scent of food. Feeling hungry and still half-asleep, she wondered if she was dreaming, but she soon realized that she did hear something happening downstairs. Getting quickly dressed, she checked the guest room, but it was empty, and the books she had given to Springtrap were put on the cabinet. She quickly went downstairs, realizing how familiar the scent was.

''Pancakes!''

Sam felt a mix of excitement and surprise when she saw a stack of freshly made pancakes on the kitchen table, with Springtrap holding a frying pan. He tilted his head, looking cheerful.

''Good morning!''

''Good morning… Since when do _you_ cook?'' Sam rose an eyebrow.

''You know, there is still a human in this animatronic suit,'' Springtrap replied. ''I know how to cook, and I figured you'd be hungry once you wake up.''

He wanted to continue, but it didn't take much convincing to get Sam eat the pancakes he made. He was a little nervous, as he didn't know whether she would like them or not. However, his worries vanished when he noticed the pleased expression Sam had.

''They're really good,'' she said, standing up and getting the glasses of strawberry and sour cherry jam out of the fridge. ''Thanks for the breakfast!''

''I can make for if you want,'' Springtrap replied. ''Besides, that's the least I could do for you, especially since you allowed me to stay here.''

''Don't be so sure about that. My mum will have the last word about you staying here,'' Sam replied, a little worried.

''Do you think she will allow me to stay here?'' Springtrap asked her after a small pause. Sam shrugged.

''Mum is actually really chill and while she might be weirded out by your appearance, I think she will let you stay. However, once she learns you're a murderer…''

''In other words, I need to pretend that I'm a sentient animatronic, rather than a soul that had been willingly trapped inside a robot,'' Springtrap concluded. ''It shouldn't be that hard.''

''Just try to act as usual,'' Sam suggested, looking at the news on her smartphone. Springtrap approached her, glancing at the device.

''What are you looking at?''

''I wanted to check the news, whether there's anything about the corpse we found yesterday,'' she replied, then shook her head. ''Nothing.''

''Either it hadn't be found yet or the place is already in the process of being cleaned up,'' Springtrap said. ''However, since this guy wasn't a Freddy's employee, I'm not sure whether there will be the usual procedures or something else might happen.''

''Speaking of Freddy's, this is now the second night,'' Sam said, sounding a little more serious. Springtrap nodded, having a feeling where this conversation was leading. ''I showed you _Five Nights at Freddy's_ yesterday and I plan to show you _Five Nights at Freddy's 2_ today, which gives the first game more backstory.''

''Okay,'' Springtrap said quietly, sitting across her. ''Are you really going to show me one game per night?''

''Not really. For the last two nights, I plan to go with two games for each. You'll understand why,'' Sam replied.

''Can you at least tell me what this one is going to be about?'' Springtrap asked, a little concerned. He still didn't like the idea of being confronted by his past, but he felt that this was something he had to go through.

''It's about the Missing Children Incident and what happened in 1987,'' Sam replied. Springtrap nodded, the feeling of emptiness once again spreading through his chest.

**xXx**

''There is something I'd really like to know,'' Sam said, snapping Springtrap out of his feeling of unease. ''In Phone Guy's calls to the new night guard, someone named Jeremy Fitzgerald, he mentions that there had been a previous night guard who got promoted to the day shift. He also said that that night guard complained about being attacked by the animatronics.''

Springtrap, who was sitting on Sam's bed, looked at the monitor of Sam's laptop, finding himself facing the image of the Toy Animatronics, as well as a transcript of Phone Guy's calls from the game.

''It turns out later that the animatronics had been tampered with, and according to Phone Guy, not only were they brand new, but also had a facial recognition system tied into some kind of criminal database. According to Phone Guy _'the characters have been acting very unusual, almost aggressive towards the staff. They interact with the kids just fine, but when they encounter an adult, they just... stare'_ ,'' Sam said, crossing her arms and tilting her head as she looked at Springtrap. ''So, were you the one who tampered with them?''

''You made the right assumption,'' Springtrap said sheepishly. ''It wasn't that hard though. Besides, I prefer to wear a mask.''

''So, do you know anything about the Bite of '87?'' Sam asked curiously.

''No. Unfortunately, I wasn't around for that.''

''I should've known,'' Sam said. ''My assumption is that Jeremy was the victim, since the animatronics were antagonistic towards adults and Jeremy would have to keep a close eye on them. About the perpetrator, it had to be the Toys, because the Withereds were in the back room, and Puppet and Balloon Boy don't look like they could damage someone's frontal lobe. To be honest, I think it was Toy Chica.''

''Toy Chica? Why not Mangle?'' Springtrap asked. ''It has quite sharp teeth.''

''Yeah, but Mangle doesn't look like she can just walk up to someone and bite them,'' Sam replied.

''You'd be surprised what a mangled amalgamation of metal and cables can do,'' Springtrap told her.

''I am aware of that.'' Sam narrowed her eyes. ''Also, I wanted to add that Toy Chica can remove her beak and it looks pretty sharp. Now imagine that sticking out of your forehead.''

''You have a point,'' Springtrap said, having a bad feeling about the next topic. It didn't help that Sam was giving him that unnerving stare again.

''About the Missing Children Incident…''

''I killed them,'' Springtrap interrupted, suddenly raising his tone. ''I had payed and overpaid for what I did, and they're free now. If what happened-''

''William!''

Springtrap was startled when Sam suddenly yelled at him. He was unsettled by the glare she was giving, realizing he had said something wrong. He kept quiet, avoiding Sam's gaze.

''Were you even aware that they would get stuck like that?'' she asked in a quiet tone.

''No…'' he replied. ''At that time, I wasn't even aware that-''

''That a soul could possess a robot,'' Sam added, standing up. ''Apparently, your first victim, the Puppet, did. She also knew that, by giving them gifts, she could also give them life.''

Springtrap looked at the monitor of her laptop, noticing a short video of a minigame where Puppet would walk over to the four dead children and put the animatronic heads on them.

''She couldn't give them back the life they had, nor return them back home. They lost everything, left only with the desire to get revenge on _you_ ,'' Sam said, growing angrier. Springtrap closed his eyes, expecting her to scream at him, only to hear a calm, quiet voice. ''Why did you murder them?''

He wished she had screamed at him. That reserved, accusing tone of hers was worse than any of the Hell he had endured in that cursed office. He kept quiet, wondering how to explain everything to her, even though he knew that there was no explanation for this. Whatever he said would make this situation only worse.

''William, remember how I told you that actions don't have to make sense, but should have a meaning behind them?'' The question caused him look up at her, surprised to see, not her being enraged, but on the verge of tears. It made him feel even worse. ''Why have you even turned to killing?''

''I don't know,'' Springtrap replied, lowering his head in defeat. ''I always felt bitter and empty during my life. I thought that I could do something about it, but nothing worked out.''

''But murdering people did,'' Sam said coldly.

''I'm not going to deny that. I regret what I did. I cannot be forgiven for that, but…'' Springtrap sighed, shaking his head. ''Maybe I am wrong for even thinking I can seek atonement.''

''You're not wrong about either of those things,'' Sam said, with Springtrap glancing at her, noticing the look of pity she had. ''You cannot be forgiven, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to change. I mean, you told me that you want me to trust you and that you would work on that. You said you regret what you have done in the past. So far, you haven't done anything to hurt me and you have been honest with me as much as possible. You could've lied to me or tried to harm me whenever I confronted you with your past, but you didn't. Does that really sound to you like the behavior of a remorseless murderer?''

''I guess having a complete breakdown in Hell does that to you,'' Springtrap said, sighing. ''I'm sorry.''

''I'm not the person you should apologize to,'' Sam replied.

''You're still the only person around,'' Springtrap told her. ''The only one I can apologize to.''

''True, but I cannot speak in the name of your other victims, only for myself,'' Sam said, walking over to him. ''You know, something I've been wondering about, what would've happened if you hadn't tried to kidnap me the first time we met?''

''You mean, when I tried to kill you until you revealed you knew more than expected,'' Springtrap said dryly.

''About that, I'm not completely angry about what you tried to do, but it sure didn't help to fix the already bad impression I had about you,'' Sam said.

''I'm sorry,'' Springtrap replied, albeit a little surprised, and glad, that Sam wasn't so mad about it. ''I guess I would've gone on another murder spree if I hadn't decided to make you my first victim.''

''Which brings us back to this situation,'' Sam said, causing Springtrap to look at her in confusion. ''I was the one who suggested that you could try to change for once and you accepted the idea without making much of a fuss, even though you doubted that you'd be capable of trying to atone for what you did.''

''What is your point?'' Springtrap asked.

''To be honest, I have two theories about you being brought back,'' Sam said, rising her hand with a V-sign as a visual cue. ''The first one is actually what you just confessed – that you would've gone on another murder spree, not caring whether it would land you in a place worse than Hell, as long as you could satisfy your desire to get rid off the emptiness you feel.'' She then tilted her head. ''The second would be our chance encounter. I've been wondering whether it maybe wasn't completely accidental.''

''So, you want to say that whatever entity sent me back wanted me to meet you?'' Springtrap asked. ''Sounds a little far-fetched.''

''It is and I'm not saying this whole thing had indeed been a set up. However, I want you to think about your actions that night,'' Sam said, with Springtrap suddenly realizing what she meant. However, he let her explain the rest. ''I think that, had you killed me, it would've been over for you. The moment you got incinerated once again, you'd be done for. However, you didn't, therefore meaning that, while you would still suffer and be tormented by hallucinations, you're at least not your own, and you have someone who can help you and guide you.''

''Who would've thought that one small decision could have such a great impact,'' Springtrap muttered.

''I don't think it's exactly small. You shouldn't be downplaying it,'' Sam replied as she sat down on the chair, closing the file on her desktop and searching for the local news website. ''Still no reports.''

''Do you really want to investigate what happened?'' Springtrap asked curiously.

''To be honest, my common sense tells me that this has nothing to do with our situation and to ignore it. The conspiracy theorist in me says that the cops wouldn't even know what to make out of the situation and treat it like a random homicide,'' Sam replied, entering Ricky's Wonder Shack website. ''It would be best to start from here.''

''What are you planning to do? You don't have access to anything and I doubt you can just walk inside and ask the manager about their missing security guard,'' Springtrap said sarcastically, until it dawned him. ''Wait, do you want to say that the murder happened there?''

''Let's just say that Ricky's seems to be caring a little too much about their reputation, especially how often they compare themselves to Freddy's and claim they're better than them,'' Sam replied. ''Who knows, maybe they also have a few skeletons in their closet.''

''Before you go on, backtrack a little bit. Why would they kill their own security guard and then leave him at Freddy's?'' Springtrap asked. ''Also, as far as I know, that guy hadn't been killed by an animatronic.''

''I think there are two options. The murder may have been an accident and they want to destroy Freddy's reputation by framing them for the murder, which sounds really crazy. The other option would be that the guy saw something he shouldn't have seen and was silenced because of that,'' Sam explained.

''The latter option sounds more likely,'' Springtrap said. ''So, what are you planning? Another nightly visit?''

''Actually, I planned to go there now and just look around,'' Sam said.

''Didn't you mean to say that _we_ would go there and have a look around?'' Springtrap asked.

''No offense Spring, but even though you wouldn't stick out among the animatronics, you still aren't a Ricky's mascot,'' Sam replied. ''You might draw weird looks from the employees.''

''I'm certain that things would still work out,'' Springtrap said in a confident tone. ''It might sound strange to you, but I had also been a performer and I know how to not draw attention to myself. The only thing I would need is some kind of map to know my way around the place.''

''I can provide you with one,'' Sam grinned, turning back to her laptop.

''Really?!'' Springtrap looked stunned, glancing at the monitor.

''Ricky's put up a map of the location on their website, with the explanation that their customers could print it out and it would help them navigate through the location, like finding the bathrooms or the exits in case of a fire,'' Sam explained, turning her laptop to Springtrap so he could get a better view of it. ''Since you decided to come along, there's something else…'' He watched her walking over to her closet, taking out a box from it and searching for something. Eventually, she pulled out two walkie-talkies and tossed one to him. ''For easier communication, since I doubt I'll be able to follow you around.''

''You're really determined to go through with this,'' Springtrap said, looking at the walkie-talkie and back at Sam, who was grinning. He stood up, a little curious.

''To be honest, I am a little excited,'' she admitted. Springtrap crossed his arms behind his back, a smile on his expression.

''You have my full support,'' he said. ''None of us will be alone in this mess.''

He observed Sam as she smiled back, looking quite confident. The warmth he had felt the last night returned, now a little stronger.


	6. Our Little Horror Story

**Night 5**

**Our Little Horror Story**

_''A voice calls, a cry in the dark, telling me to crawl to the light. But I won't, the show has just begun, I'm giving one last encore tonight. Five nights left to find you, one last thing to tend to. You'll fear what I can do, but you'll never run. Ghosts warn of my actions, but I'm the main attraction. You'll bring my satisfaction… Our little horror story's just begun.''_

_– **Our Little Horror Story** by Aviators_

**xXxXxXx**

Sam was drinking the milkshake she had ordered while walking through the main area, lifting the drink above her head when a few kids ran past her, pushing her aside and almost knocking her over. She looked at them, still a little startled, but relieved she didn't spill anything.

''Who would've thought that the place would still be full at this time,'' she muttered under her breath, taking another sip of the strawberry milkshake and walking out of the arcade area. Even though she told Springtrap how she wanted to go to Ricky's, she realized that it would be a little weird to have an animatronic roaming through the town during the day. She suggested then that they wait until evening, just before closing hours, but she still didn't expect that there would be so many people. ''Nobody seems to be in a hurry to leave. I hope Springtrap is doing well.''

Speaking of which, once they arrived here, the moment Sam turned her back to him, Springtrap vanished. She knew that he was quite stealthy, considering how he managed to sneak up on her without noticing, but it still surprised her. She figured he would be fine on his own and went inside, deciding to try and cover as much ground as possible, even though she wasn't quite sure for what she had been searching for. If there had even been a crime scene in this place, it was probably already cleaned. Even more, one of their employees was, as far as they knew, missing, and they still let people inside Ricky's as if nothing happened.

_Or maybe the management at Ricky's has no idea what happened. Everything's possible._

So far, Sam had mostly checked the areas that patrons were allowed to visit, like the main area with the stage and the arcade area, but she knew that, if she wanted to know more, she would have to get into the parts of the location that were reserved for the employees. She was already thinking about asking whether she could get hired, but then figured that she sure wouldn't get the exact job she wanted and would be stuck with having to deal with the patrons instead of trying to find out more about Ricky and his friends.

_Wolfrun Corporation may not be like Fazbear Entertainment, but you never know._

She walked over to the stage, where Max, Quentin and Dahlia were performing. Ricky was nowhere to be seen, so she assumed that he wasn't in animatronic mode and probably someone was walking around dressed-up as Ricky. She did wonder why it was only him and not the other animatronics, though. She was quite sure that the children would like to see Max or Dahlia also walking around and interacting with them.

She then glanced towards where the back room was. It was covered in curtains, so nobody would notice it, but she could still see the door at the bottom. After having another look around, she approached the door.

''Hello, there!''

Sam froze, the cold milkshake having nothing to do with it. She turned around, only to see the wolf mascot, Ricky, looking at her.

''Now, where are you going?'' Ricky asked her cheerfully, his movement showing that there was indeed a person inside the costume. Sam laughed nervously, trying to act casual.

''Oh, I was just looking around,'' she said. Despite the grin on Ricky's mask, she had the feeling that the person inside the costume wasn't smiling at all.

''Well, you shouldn't be,'' Ricky said in the same cheerful tone. ''You might get yourself in trouble, you know. Haven't you heard of animatronics punishing those who don't obey the rules?''

Something in his voice gave Sam the chills. Was the actor just messing with her?

''I thought that only the animatronics at Freddy's did that,'' Sam replied, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

''Oh, they're just haunted. That is, if you believe the rumors,'' Ricky laughed. ''Me and my friends actually make sure that no one with wicked intentions causes trouble. We will do anything to make sure that troublemakers get punished. Safety is very important to us.''

''I see,'' Sam replied, forcing a smile. ''Nice to meet you, Ricky.''

She turned around and walked away, feeling Ricky's eyes boring into the back of her skull. Once she made sure she was out of his sight, she gave a sigh of relief. While she knew that it was the actor's job to approach and entertain people, as well as make sure nobody causes trouble, she felt like she was approached by this guy one too many times ever since she came here. She had nothing against wolves, but this one was rather uncanny. Either that, or it was her imagination messing with her again.

_Dude, you're living with an animatronic who has the soul of a murderer inside him and it's Ricky who freaks you out? What?!_

Sure, it was surprising, but there was a difference. Sam knew exactly who Springtrap was and what he was capable of, but in comparison to Springtrap, she had no idea what kind of person was representing Ricky.

She kept an eye on the wolf, who walked away, wondering whether she could try again to sneak into the back room. However, once again approached the stage and glanced at Ricky, she noticed him staring directly at her. Shuddering, she walked straight past the stage and to the nearest trash bin in order to throw her empty milkshake cup in it. Still having an uncanny feeling of being watched, she glanced back at Ricky, who seemed to be closer now than before, talking to a few children. He then lifted his head, staring at her and tilting his head.

Sam quickly turned around and left the area.

**xXx**

It felt rather strange being again at a somewhat familiar establishment. Springtrap felt a little bad for just leaving Sam on her own so suddenly, but he figured that she'd be able to find her way through the place. He had sneaked through the back door into the employee area, finding himself at a maintenance room as he tried to hide and decide where to go next. His first thought was to go deeper into the employee area, perhaps finding the manager's or security guard's office, until he realized that that wasn't exactly an option.

Instead, he found himself peeking into the main area, surprised to see the place packed with people. Despite what Sam told him about Ricky's, he expected that there would be, at least, adults who knew that what went down at Freddy's weren't just rumors and would be suspicious of Ricky's. However, the number of screaming, unsupervised children, parents who were only interested in their smartphones or tablets and exhausted employees told him that he was wrong.

He was quite sure that not only would he be able to snatch away a kid without anyone noticing, but that their parents wouldn't bother searching for their kid until they get kicked out once the place got closed. It had occurred to him to put this theory to a test, but he quickly decided against it, even though he would enjoy the sight of a parent screaming at an employee for not keeping an eye on their kid, despite the fact that the employees weren't babysitters and in no way responsible for the children, as a rule on the framed notice board nearby the entrance said.

_And they call me a bad parent._

He sneaked into the main area, hiding in one of its dark corners. It seemed that Ricky's Wonder Shack had been keeping parts of their buildings in the dark, either because of aesthetics or to steer patrons away from them for some reason, which worked in his favor, as it gave him the opportunity to navigate through the place easier.

He observed the people from the corner he was hidden in, a little surprised that nobody seemed to notice him. Maybe they thought he was a obscure addition to the more popular mascots and not really worth their attention. He was fine with that, as he currently didn't need any spotlight. Instead, he observed the mascots on the stage.

 It was a little weird to see animatronics that weren't Freddy, Bonnie, Chica and Foxy, or their variations. On the other hand, this was a different company with a different brand, so there shouldn't be anything surprising. Something he did notice was that the animatronics were kept in a really good condition. While he was still at Freddy's, he would take over for a while as a technician whenever another employee couldn't come to work for whatever reason, and he saw that they were doing a rather poor job. There had been dirt and food stains on the suits, as well as missing parts and even rust on the endoskeletons, with him having to do a thorough work on them to keep them in a good condition. He always had that feeling of satisfaction when he saw the end result.

Just as he was about to leave, he noticed two kids curiously looking at him. They were a boy and a girl, seemingly no older than four or five and looked a lot alike, with Springtrap guessing that they were twins. They didn't say anything and seemed to be rather shy, as they backed away a little when he looked at them. However, they still smiled, even giggling, as if he had just performed a magic trick for them.

''Hello!'' The girl waved and giggled again, happy that she caught his attention. Springtrap was quite sure that she wouldn't be this happy if she knew to what kind of person she was talking to. Wondering where their parents were, he crouched, still towering over the two.

''Hello there,'' he said. ''Do you need anything?''

The girl started to fidget on the spot, as if a little embarrassed to ask him.

''Do you want to play?''

''I'm sorry, but I'm busy with something else,'' Springtrap told her politely. Surprisingly, the twins handled it rather well. Instead of screaming and demanding that he plays with them, they simply nodded.

''What's your name?'' the boy asked, standing on his toes and briefly rising his hand as if he wanted to touch his ears, but stopped himself, looking at the animatronic for permission. Springtrap nodded, with the boy giggling as he touched his ear, a little awed by the soft fur, and quickly stepping back, proud of his achievement.

''Call me Spring,'' Springtrap added, with the two nodding.

''I'm Kathy and this is Kyle,'' Kathy pointed at herself and her brother.

''Where are your parents?'' Springtrap asked, tilting his head. ''You shouldn't be walking alone like this.''

''Auntie told us that we could. She also said that we shouldn't bother her,'' Kathy replied, then pointed at a woman who was sitting at a lone table, staring at her phone and furiously texting someone. Springtrap frowned and then turned to the two.

''Your auntie is wrong,'' he said gently. ''Now, here's a warning from a friendly animatronic. Do not follow people you don't know, as they might try to hurt you. If you think someone is being strange, tell your parents.''

''We know that,'' Kathy said, looking a little excited. ''Mummy and Daddy told us.'' Her expression then changed to a disappointed one. ''But Auntie said that they were just annoying and how she lets our cousins do whatever they want. They're also really mean.''

''Yeah!'' Kyle chimed in.

''Then you are smarter than your auntie or your cousins,'' Springtrap told the two, with them beaming with pride. ''Next time you come here, bring your parents.''

''We will!'' Kathy replied, taking her brother's hand. ''Thank you, Spring!''

''Bye, bye, Spring!'' Kyle waved as they left, walking over to their aunt, who still didn't pay any attention to her surroundings.

Springtrap stood up, glaring at the woman as she yelled at the twins for interrupting her. However, she instantly turned sweet and nice when two boys, a few years older than the twins, joined them, one of them pushing Kathy away and demanding that the woman comes with them and kicks out whichever kid beat them at the arcade game they were playing. The woman followed the two, leaving the twins who were rather upset, looking like they were about to cry.

Springtrap's eyes glowed purple as he clenched his fist. This wasn't the first time he had to deal with entitled people who thought that the world revolved around them, and he really enjoyed messing with them and then kicking them out of his restaurant if they wouldn't stop with their arrogant behavior. However, as much as he wanted to punch that woman, he knew that it would be smarter to take care of the twins.

Kathy and Kyle, who were still upset about their aunt abandoning them, looked rather surprised when they saw the strange bunny animatronic again, this time smiling at them.

''I saw what happened,'' he said, crouching down. ''Are you okay?''

''We are,'' Kathy said, with her brother turning to them.

''What if Auntie Karen leaves us again?'' Kyle asked, tears forming in his eyes. His sister wasn't sure what to tell him, looking like she was doing her best not to cry.

''Do you two know your parents' phone numbers?'' Springtrap asked them.

''No…'' Kyle replied, with Kathy nudging him and showing Springtrap her wrist with a pink rubber band with numbers on it.

''Mummy gave me this and said that, if we get in trouble, to ask someone to call this number,'' she said, looking relieved. Her brother stopped crying.

''Okay, here's what you two are going to do. You will go to that girl,'' Springtrap pointed at a female employee, who looked a little older than Sam, ''and ask her to call your parents. Tell her that you are lost and I'm sure that she will help you.''

''We will do that,'' Kathy said, nodding and grabbing her brother's hand. ''Thank you again, Spring!''

''But, what about Auntie Karen?'' Kyle asked his sister.

''You shouldn't be worried about her. The most important thing is that you two let your parents know that they should pick you up. Don't you think that your parents would be sad if they found out you got lost?'' Springtrap told them.

''Ah, okay,'' Kyle replied, with the two then walking over to the female employee they saw, who seemed to look both concerned and relieved once Kathy showed her the rubber band, and walked with them out of the area.

A few seconds later, their poor excuse of an aunt appeared along with her two sons, screeching like a banshee at the stern male employee, who pointed towards the entrance. She and her kids stormed out, with her yelling about being treated poorly and didn't seem to even give a second thought about the fact that she just left her niece and her nephew at the restaurant.

Springtrap shook his head, sincerely hoping that the twins would get picked up by their parents. He then noticed that more and more people were leaving, guessing it was closing time. This was his cue to find a good hiding spot and wait until the place was finally closed.

**xXx**

Sam noticed people slowly leaving, several of them being parents who tried to coax their screaming kids to finally stop playing on the tower that was a combination of a slide, a net and monkey bars, and was connected to another one via a tube you had to crawl through. Looking at her phone, she realized that the place would be closing soon.

She had started to wonder where Springtrap actually was, as she hadn't seen him anywhere. She didn't want to use the walkie-talkie she gave him, telling him how he should call her instead in case he found something. So far, there hadn't been a call and she was slowly getting worried about him. Had he been caught?

Sam was contemplating whether she should hide somewhere, but considering how the employees had been ushering people out of the building and were making rounds to make sure nobody remained, that didn't seem to be an option. Feeling like she wasted her time, Sam walked out with the rest of the patrons. Aside from the weird encounter with Ricky, there wasn't anything.

_Should I really be that surprised?_

She walked away from the almost empty parking lot and towards an alley behind the building. Had she turned around the corner, she would've found herself at the back entrance to the building. She figured she should wait for Springtrap, assuming that he was still inside the building, and wait for the employees to leave. It took a good hour or so until the employees, or at least most of them, have left. The lights had been turned off and it seemed like she was the only person still here, but she didn't dare to do anything yet.

Suddenly, she heard a crackling sound on her walkie-talkie. She took it out, feeling a little relieved.

_''Hey Sam, where are you?''_

''Outside the building. Where are you?''

_''Still inside. Seems like someone just doesn't want to leave.''_

**xXx**

Springtrap's eyes glowed in a soft purple as he glanced into the hallway, noticing a shadow at the end of it. Someone was in the room with the costumes.

_''Could you then give me a call when you're sure that the building is completely empty?''_

''Sure.''

Springtrap glanced down the hallway, noticing the employee exiting the room. He was a young man, probably in his mid-20s, looking rather tall and lanky, with short brown hair. The man looked around, as if suspicious of something. Springtrap quickly retreated, only to be surprised when all the lights suddenly turned off. He kept quiet, hearing the back door closing. Springtrap waited a little, before getting out of his hiding spot and making sure that absolutely no one was inside the place. He then looked at the walkie-talkie.

''Sam?''

_''Is something wrong?''_

''Have you seen a guy exiting the building?''

_''Yeah, I did. He just entered the car and left.''_

''I see. Just wait a little longer.''

**xXx**

Sam paced in the small alley, a little nervous about what was going to happen. It didn't take long after Springtrap's last call, with the back door opening. She was relieved to see the animatronic, although something did bother her.

''Shouldn't there be a security guard?''

''Seems like they deemed it unnecessary,'' Springtrap replied, then frowned. ''Or they haven't found a replacement yet. In any case, I need to show you something.''

They quickly passed the door where the main area with the animatronics was, with Springtrap leading her towards the manager's office. While walking there, Sam could've sworn she heard steps that didn't belong to either of them. She didn't question Springtrap about it, yet, as she wanted to know what he wanted to show her. Once they got inside the office, Springtrap quickly closed the door behind them, with a look of concern.

''What's wrong?'' Sam asked him, but Springtrap shook his head.

''You'll find out soon enough,'' he replied, pointing at the drawers. Sam opened it, finding some messily placed files, which seemed to be about the animatronics. She took them out, quickly reading through them.

''Looks like they spent a fortune on those animatronics. All of them are high-tech, able to roam around and interact, as well…'' Sam trailed off as she read something and glanced back at Springtrap.

''Seems like they're similar to the Toy Animatronics, except for the fact that the Misfits don't only have facial recognition, but are also programmed to hunt down and detain any intruder, reducing the need for human supervision,'' Springtrap said. ''I'm not sure if they would've stuffed you into a suit like Freddy and his friends, though.''

''Sounds to me more like Circus Baby and the Funtimes, if they hadn't been designed to kill,'' Sam replied, noticing the glint of purple in Springtrap's eyes. She then took out her phone and started to take photos of the documents, while Springtrap looked around the office. He stopped when he suddenly heard steps coming towards the office. Sam held her breath, realizing that one of the animatronics had stopped right in front of the door. A few seconds later, they heard steps again and the animatronic seemed to be walking away from the office.

Sam sighed in relief, looking at Springtrap. ''We should hurry up and leave as quickly as possible.''

The latter nodded, opening a drawer and finding another file, this being one with huge letters printed on it.

'' _DECOMMISSIONED_ ,'' he read, opening the file. The illustration of an animatronic he had never seen before stared back at him.

''We can read it back at home,'' Sam said, taking the file away from him and quickly taking photos of it. Once done with it, she put all the files back where they belonged. ''Now, the question remains on how are we supposed to get out. There are animatronics patrolling the hallways.''

''Well, you signed up for it,'' Springtrap said, giving her a smug grin. ''It shouldn't be surprising that this would eventually get dangerous.''

''Yeah, I know. I actually wanted to see if there's anything else before we get out of here,'' Sam said, her hand on the door knob. ''Like, the security guard's office.''

''You reckon there's footage of what happened?''

''Maybe, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was deleted,'' Sam replied, opening the door and looking outside. ''No one's here. Let's go.''

They quickly walked down the hallway, listening for steps. So far, they had luck, but just as they were about to enter another hallway, they heard steps. Sam felt Springtrap quickly grabbing her arm and pull her into a nearby room, closing the door. It was rather dark inside, with Sam first turning the screen light on her phone and then switching over to the flashlight. She didn't really like to use it, as it was too bright and would drain her battery fast, and with the screen light, there was less fear for her to be spotted. However, since the room had no windows, she didn't have to worry about it.

The room had hangers with costumes on it, looking rather vague. Sam assumed that they were spare suits for the animatronics. Two hangers were empty, with Sam and Springtrap spotting one of the costumes, the Ricky costume, on the nearby desk.

''I forgot to mention that the guy who left earlier had been here,'' Springtrap told Sam, who was examining it. ''I guess that he was taking the costume off.''

''It seems like it's not a springlock suit,'' Sam said, looking into the inside of the suit. ''I guess that's a good thing for them…''

''Or Wolfrun Corporation tried to create similar suits, but failed miserably and had to resort to normal costumes,'' Springtrap added, looking at the costumes. His eyes glowed purple when he suddenly saw something. He crouched down, trying to push away the costumes as he searched for something beneath them.

''What's wrong?'' Sam walked over to him, with Springtrap pointing at the few barely visible stains on the floor. He then examined each of the costumes, finding a few droplets on one. However, the fur had been rather dark, so it was hard to see them.

''I think we just found the crime scene,'' Springtrap replied. ''Could you shine your light over here?''

Sam pointed her phone at the floor and the suit, the stains now a little more visible.

''It seems that, whoever tried to clean this up, missed a few spots,'' she said. ''Then, there's the missing costume… Do you think someone killed the security guard while wearing a Ricky's costume?''

''Sounds like a logical explanation,'' Springtrap said. ''They then had to drag the body away, leave it at Freddy's, then return back to this place and clean up the blood. However, since it's quite dark in the room and there are also animatronics roaming outside, I assume they were in a hurry and didn't do a proper clean-up. Although, I could imagine someone claiming that the blood is just tomato sauce stains.''

Sam quickly took a photo of it, her hands shaking in both anxiety and excitement. She didn't expect that the night would turn out like this. However, as she was about to walk out, Springtrap stopped her.

''Wait here,'' he said. ''I want to check something first and then I'll come back to pick you up, okay?''

Sam nodded, with Springtrap quickly exiting the room and closing the door. He heard steps again, his eyes flaring purple when he saw Virgil walking into the hallway. The animatronic stopped dead in his tracks, as if observing Springtrap. After a few seconds, he continued walking into the next hallway, with Springtrap grinning.

''I see… They are actually more similar to the Toys than Circus Baby,'' he muttered. He followed Virgil into the next hallway, trying to remember the map Sam showed him. Those parts were marked as restricted for the patrons, but he felt that this was where they would find the surveillance room. It didn't take long for him to find it, as Virgil practically led him to it, only to stop, turn around and walk past Springtrap.

For a brief moment, Springtrap considered tampering with Virgil's system, simply for his own amusement, but decided against it, as he still had to get Sam. He walked back, stopping in front of the room with the costumes and waiting for Dahlia to pass him, as she slowly made her way towards the manager's office.

He opened the door, with Sam quickly getting outside and quietly following him. Virgil was nowhere in sight, although Springtrap had a feeling that he would return soon. They hadn't seen Ricky, Quentin or Max, and he assumed that they were at the main area. Sam, on the other hand, sighed in relief as they locked themselves in the security guard's office. She quickly turned the cameras on, observing the animatronics, who were walking in a set pattern, albeit none of them was entering the rooms with closed doors.

''It's all set to live feed,'' she said, searching for any stored videos. ''There's nothing there.''

''Or maybe someone deleted the recordings and set it to live feed, but nobody bothered to check on it,'' Springtrap said.

''We should leave,'' Sam said, turning the cameras off. ''I have a bad feeling that someone will return here and find us.''

''You mean the murderer?'' Springtrap asked, with Sam shrugging. He then opened the door and looked into the corridor, noticing Virgil vanishing into the hallway he came from. ''This way.''

With Springtrap leading them, the two walked as quickly as possible to the back door, briefly stopping when Dahlia suddenly appeared. Sam quickly hid behind Springtrap, who noticed Dahlia staring at him, her eyes lit, but she didn't seem to notice Sam. Instead, she continued down the corridor, while they entered the one she came from.

''That was close,'' Sam said, breathing a sigh of relief as they finally walked outside, with Springtrap closing the door.

''Seems that we were right about our theory,'' he said, as they walked away from the building. ''We know who was killed and where, but we don't know why or who the killer was.''

''True,'' Sam muttered, only to hear a strange sound and look at Springtrap. Aside from his walkie-talkie, he seemed to be carrying something else. ''What's that?''

''Oh, this?'' He grinned, holding a keychain. Sam stared at him, completely flabbergasted.

 _''You took the_ keys _?!''_ she mouthed, the last part sounding like a hiss.

''I found them at the manager's office, as I needed to open the door for you. I believe that these are the spare keys,'' he said, giving them and the walkie-talkie to Sam, who put them in the small bag she had over her shoulder. She sighed.

''You know what, we'll talk about this tomorrow,'' she said.

''Are you feeling okay?'' Springtrap asked her. Sam nodded.

''I feel a little tired, that's all.''

**xXx**

While Sam was sound asleep in the room next door, Springtrap was lying wide awake on the couch, thinking about what happened. He had to agree with Sam that it was quite eventful and he actually enjoyed it, as it didn't feel bad being around other people, even if he stayed in the shadows. He had even thought about visiting Freddy's once it opens.

_If it opens._

Speaking of which, it was probably a bad idea for him to be at any kind of family friendly locations, as he wasn't exactly safe to be around people. Nevertheless, that didn't mean he did not know how to behave around children, acting like a friendly animatronic, without triggering the bloodlust he usually felt. Not to mention, he had been focused on the task he had been given.

_I hope those two got picked up by their parents._

Springtrap glanced through the window at the night sky. He wondered what was going on at Ricky's and how it was connected to Freddy's, as well as whether it was connected to him.

He saw static before his eyes, but shook his head and sat up. The room didn't change, causing him to sigh in relief. He hoped that he could somehow put his hallucinations under control, but he still couldn't figure out how. So far, Sam was the one who managed to wake him up whenever he had a hallucination.

He thought about what she told him, how he had probably already made his choice by not only not murdering her, but also accepting her help.

_Just when one horror story has ended, another one has begun. It seems like it never will end. Right, Henry?_

**xXx**

''Springtrap?''

Springtrap was startled when Sam opened the door next morning and looked in the guest room. She smiled.

''Hey, there!'' she said. ''Did you have any hallucinations?''

''No,'' Springtrap replied. ''Did you have any nightmares?''

''Surprisingly, I didn't,'' Sam replied. ''Speaking of nightmares and hallucinations, it's Night 3, isn't it?''

''I am not exactly sure whether I should be looking forward to this, especially considering yesterday's topic,'' Springtrap said.

''Don't worry,'' Sam replied. ''This one involves you being the main attraction.''

Springtrap didn't look assured, wondering what this would be about. A little while later, he was in the kitchen, sitting across Sam, who was eating breakfast and looking at her phone.

''You know, I could've made you breakfast if you wanted. Pancakes, or something else maybe,'' Springtrap said, leaned against the table.

''It's okay,'' Sam replied, checking her smartphone and then turning to him. ''There are a few things we need to deal with first. For starters, I need to return those keys you took.''

''How do you plan to do this? Are you going to just walk inside and tell them that you have their spare keys?'' Springtrap asked.

''No way,'' Sam replied, shaking her head. ''I planned to just go back and drop them on the floor so someone else would find them. Once I'm back, we can talk about what I wanted to ask you for this Night.''

''If you say so,'' Springtrap muttered, observing her as she finished her breakfast and left for upstairs. He got up, entering the living room and waiting for her. Sam quickly came downstairs, putting the keys into her bag.

''I trust you to keep an eye on the house while I'm gone,'' Sam said.

''Don't worry, it'll be fine,'' he replied, with Sam leaving. He watched her until she was out of his sight, feeling a little lonely. Sure, he was capable of being on his own for an hour or so, but he still felt better when she was present.

_Com'n! You have survived Hell, you can survive this._

**xXx**

Sam had been debating, not feeling right about this, but she still went through with it. Currently, she was at the counter at Ricky's Wonder Shack, ordering a pizza for lunch. As she debated which one to order, she felt a little anxious about the second pair of keys in her bag, having decided to make a copy of them. She hoped she would never have to use them and didn't plan to tell anyone (aside from Springtrap) that she had the keys for the back door to Ricky's.

''I'll take the mixed one.''

''Do you want a drink?''

''No thanks.''

After ordering, she had been given a receipt with a number, with the employee telling her how it would take about 20 minutes until her pizza was finished. Sam decided to walk around a little until her number would be called, visiting the stage with the animatronics. Currently, they weren't singing.

She looked around anxiously, still holding the receipt, and wondering where to leave the keys. There weren't many people and she searched for blind spots in case someone was watching the cameras, eventually realizing that leaving the keys at the stage was the best idea. She grabbed the keys and let her receipt fall down. She then crouched down to pick it up, placing the keys on the floor, and got up, quickly leaving the section. Nobody seemed to have noticed her and in another 10 minutes, she would be out of this place.

She walked to the tables, waiting for her order. She read some notifications on her phone, slowly relaxing. So far, everything went according to her plan.

''Why, hello!''

Sam froze when she heard a familiar voice. She turned, only to see Ricky waving at her. Her anxiety skyrocketed.

''Are you alone? Do you want company?'' Ricky asked her in a friendly tone.

''I was about to leave,'' Sam replied, standing up.

''Owww, that's so sad. Why don't you stay and have some fun?'' Ricky asked her. ''Perhaps I could introduce you to my friends?''

''I'm sorry, but I have to refuse,'' Sam replied politely, noticing her number on the screen above the counter and the employee calling it out. ''My order is up.''

Before she could hear Ricky's reply, she quickly went up to the counter, where she was given her pizza. She then walked to the entrance, but not before she glanced back, noticing that Ricky was gone. The animatronics on the stage were singing again, this time accompanied by the wolf animatronic as well.

Feeling nervous, Sam quickly left the place.

**xXx**

Springtrap was pacing in the living room, waiting for Sam. He had turned the TV on, figuring he could watch something, but he then quickly turned it off, preferring the silence. Someone else would've probably been rather unnerved by how quiet it was, but he was used to it, especially after having spent about 30 years locked in that safe room, the only company being the animatronic who killed him. Also, he felt that it was still better than that hellish office.

_It's rather strange how things turned out. One mistake, or rather, one decision, and I came back, my soul possessing the Spring Bonnie suit._

Despite all the agony, he still smiled when he realized what would happen. He wanted it to happen. Death was nothing in comparison to what he had achieved.

_It was an amazing feeling, although the only drawback was that those kids sealed the door, so I couldn't escape the safe room. Still, the wait did pay off._

He could still vividly remember the corridors of Fazbear's Fright. To be honest, he was a little surprised to see Freddy, Bonnie, Chica and Foxy being used as props at the horror attraction, but on second thought, he felt that it was quite appropriate. He even had the feeling that he belonged there as well, especially considering his past. He always felt that nothing could stop him.

_I always come back._

He closed his eyes as static blurred his vision. He soon opened them, realizing that this was another hallucination.

_I'm back at Fazbear's Fright._

He glanced at his suit, which looked now exactly like the withered one he had at Fazbear's Fright. He kept calm this time. It was just a memory, nothing else. He felt that he could handle this one. All he had to do was to stay at this spot and wait, as it would eventually go away. He then looked up, noticing a camera pointed at him.  
_Of course I'm being watched. But, this is just a memory. Henry isn't really here._

He had to wonder what his old partner thought when he saw him again, when he realized what happened to William. Was he happy to see him being served the same fate as his victims? Was he horrified by the monstrosity William had become? Or did he already know about it and ignored what happened, determined to send his old friend to Hell?

_I never asked him._

Someone would think that, all that time, Freddy and his friends were the ones people should fear. However, they weren't aware that their legacy wouldn't exist if it hadn't been for him. He was hiding in the shadows for so long, but now, he was the main attraction.

_They thought that they could bring me to an end, but they were wrong._

He closed his eyes, feeling the bloodlust resurfacing, calling him. It was inviting him to continue murdering. It wanted him to create a new horror story.

_The show has just begun._

He looked back at the camera, then turned his back at it.

_However, this horror story is different._

''Springtrap?''

He was startled when he suddenly heard Sam's voice. He saw static again, with Fazbear's Fright vanishing and his suit looking less like a zombie and more like a cuddly bunny. He turned around, noticing Sam's worried expression.

''That was another of your hallucinations, wasn't it?'' she said. Springtrap nodded. ''Should I be worried?''

''No. It was just a memory,'' he replied.

''Speaking of memories, follow me,'' she said, beckoning to him. Feeling a little dazed, he followed her upstairs, with Sam turning on her laptop. _''Five Nights at Freddy's 3_ , also known as the game that got me hooked on the story rather than just trying to survive five nights of being hunted down by various animatronics.''

''Really? Why that game?'' Springtrap asked her as he looked over her shoulder at the monitor.

''It kinda started with a simple quote,'' Sam said, glancing at him. _''He will come back. He always does. We have a place for him._ This was followed by me realizing to whom the quote referred to.''

Springtrap realized what she meant a second before she opened the file, with the screenshot of the very animatronic she was talking about. He tilted his head, seemingly nonchalant about it.

''He looks dashing.''

This caused Sam to burst out laughing. Springtrap had the feeling that she was dying to see his reaction and that he didn't disappoint, feeling somewhat happy about it. He sat on the bed, waiting for her to calm down.

''Will… Seriously?'' Sam was still smiling, taking a deep breath in order to calm down.

''To be honest, even though I was a rotting zombie bunny, I still preferred the animatronic suit,'' Springtrap replied.

''I see, but you never really explained to me why,'' Sam said. Springtrap gave her a smug grin.

''It's quite simple. Whenever I wore the suit, I had that sudden rush of confidence. I became a different person and I felt that I could do or say anything I wanted,'' Springtrap replied. ''I guess you could say I was addicted to that feeling, as it took me some effort to keep my actual identity and my animatronic identity separate.''

''I know that feeling,'' Sam said, with Springtrap looking surprised. ''You see, I have multiple accounts on various websites on the internet. I can pretend to be a completely different person than I am in real life, but sometimes, I feel exposed, especially when I show my emotions in the text I write. I understand that it's hard to separate yourself from the character you love, but in your case…''

''In my case, I became the character I desired to be. William Afton was gone and Springtrap was born,'' Springtrap said. ''It didn't take me long to accept my new identity. In some way, once all the pain and agony subsided, I was looking forward to it.''

''Speaking of which, why did you return to Freddy's?'' Sam asked. ''If you hadn't, none of this would've actually happened.''

''It were the animatronics,'' Springtrap replied. ''By that point, I was already certain why they were acting so strange, and after Freddy's closed, I figured it would be the perfect opportunity to destroy them once and for all.''

''Why did you even want to destroy them? It's not like they could escape the place. As far as I know, the animatronics had a map with the layout of the restaurant and FNaF 3 even had a minigame that showed them getting an error warning whenever they got close to the safe room,'' Sam said, pointing at her laptop. ''I know that you used that to your advantage.''

''That's true. Also, the reason I had to destroy them was because I had the feeling that the spirits would eventually overtake the animatronics' AI and find a way to break out and find me,'' Springtrap replied. ''I was right about it, although I was thinking about the wrong animatronic.''

''So, Spring Bonnie wouldn't have been able to move at all if he had been active?'' Sam asked. Springtrap shook his head.

''Once my soul took over the animatronic, I saw several error warnings, but they soon stopped once I figured out how to gain complete control over it,'' he explained. ''Seems like those kids never figured it out.''

''I bet they were really happy when they saw you die,'' Sam said darkly, staring at Springtrap.

''I assume they were,'' he replied. ''I was kind of busy having to deal with being sliced to pieces by the spring locks to pay attention.'' He then shook his head. ''Nevertheless, I already told you that I chose that fate. It was certainly better than any alternative.''

''Although it also caused you to be locked away for 30 years,'' Sam said. ''You know, I'm still surprised it's been only a couple of years since Fazbear's Fright burned down.''

''I feel like it has been an eternity since then,'' Springtrap said.

''Speaking of which, that old Freddy's location you visited before your demise,'' Sam said, scrolling through the file. ''It got torn down shortly after Fazbear's Fright was burned to ashes.''

''It did?'' Springtrap was surprised. He didn't really think about any of the old locations, but he felt a little weird to hear about it. It felt like a piece of his past had been torn away.

_Did you really expect it to last?_

''I'm not sure who ordered it to be demolished, but the plot is still empty,'' Sam added. ''I actually visited it twice. Once just before it was torn down and once after that.''

''Now that you're talking about it, I can imagine Henry doing that,'' Springtrap said. ''After all, he wanted the past to burn until nothing remained. Everything we created would be gone.''

''That did work, but it seems that someone wasn't really satisfied with finally bringing the whole horror story to an end,'' Sam said, then smiled, surprising Springtrap. ''I don't mind the continuation, if you can call it that. I mean, everyone involved in it is gone and at peace, except for you, so this feels like a whole different chapter.''

''I guess you can call this our little horror story, since you decided to get yourself involved,'' Springtrap said. ''That is, if you still want to be involved in it.''

''To be honest, I do,'' Sam said in a confident tone. ''Anyways, I have another question. What did happen to Phone Dude?''

''Who?''

''That guy who brought you to Fazbear's Fright. He was talking about having how he found an animatronic and then suddenly realized that the animatronic was gone,'' Sam explained. ''That's the last I heard of him.''

''Don't worry, I didn't kill him,'' Springtrap said. ''He managed to escape once he realized that the rumors about the haunted animatronics might be true.''

''You also said that Henry was the night guard. So, was he the one who set the building on fire? I mean, Phone Dude talked about how the technology in the building was ancient and how, if they weren't careful, it would catch on fire,'' Sam said.

''I think that the fire was indeed an incident, although there's no doubt that it gave Henry the idea to create an incinerator,'' Springtrap said, sounding a little bitter. He then noticed the look Sam was giving him. It wasn't the usual unnerving glare, but she seemed to be rather sympathetic, which surprised him. ''What's wrong?''

''Are you happy with your current situation?'' she asked, tilting her head. Springtrap was stunned, especially since there was no hint of malice or anger in her tone. She was simply curious. ''You said that you feel more confident as an animatronic, so I was wondering whether you are happy being stuck in this state.''

''I guess I am,'' Springtrap replied, looking at his hands. It was a strange feeling, but he couldn't help but smile at the satisfaction he felt. This was now who he was and he didn't care about what others thought about his fate. It might have been horrible in other people's eyes, but he was content with his new identity. _I am Springtrap._

''I'm glad about that,'' Sam said, causing Springtrap to look at her. ''At least you're not a tormented soul who wishes to be free from his cage.''

''Well, if someone told me to go into the light, I would just tell them to shut up and go back the other direction,'' Springtrap said, causing Sam to giggle. He could feel the warmth spreading through his chest, once again pushing that hollow feeling away. ''So, do you have any other plans for today?''

''Not really. I am not really in mood to go anywhere tonight,'' Sam replied, stretching her arms.

''Is there anything wrong?'' Springtrap asked her, noticing that she did look a little anxious.

''To be honest, I don't really like those animatronics at Ricky's,'' she replied. ''I don't have anything against the mascots, but Ricky's actor is kinda unsettling. Every time I go there, I get approached by Ricky. I mean, I know that he's just trying to entertain people, but still…''

''Let me get this straight – you're freaked out by a normal guy in a costume, but you're perfectly comfortable in my presence? I feel like I missed out on something,'' Springtrap said.

''I think it's because I know who you are, but I have no idea who the actor is,'' Sam said. ''I guess that some people had the same feeling whenever you would perform.''

''As much as I know, some of the adults felt freaked out by the animatronics in general, not just me,'' Springtrap said. ''And that was even before they became haunted.''

''Speaking of adults, my mum is supposed to come back tomorrow,'' Sam said, earning a look of surprise from the animatronic.

''I hope you managed to come up with an excuse for what I'm doing here,'' he said.

''Well, I thought I could just tell Mum that you are a sentient animatronic whom I found and who followed me home,'' Sam said, shrugging.

''It's not that far from the truth,'' Springtrap said. ''That is, if you exclude all the shadier parts. Is there anything you want me to say or do?''

''Just keep up with the masquerade and don't tell her your real identity,'' Sam said.

''Why would I even want to do that?'' Springtrap asked, crossing his arms.

''Once you meet my mother, you'll understand,'' Sam replied. ''She has her own way of finding out the truth.''

''If she's anything like you, I can imagine that she will,'' Springtrap said, a little sarcastic, only to notice Sam's expression. He felt worried. ''Should I be afraid?''

''If she learns the truth, yeah,'' Sam replied. ''However, I think this will work out. Besides, you look like a cute and cuddly bunny. That's got to count for something.''

''You think I look cute?'' Springtrap tilted his head, feeling flustered. Sam smiled sheepishly.

''Yeah, I do,'' she said. ''Although that perception comes from my experience with the games, where I only saw you as a withered bunny animatronic complete with a corpse. Honestly, it was slightly disturbing with how adorable you could look, even more after I realized who was inside the suit.''

Springtrap felt a little weird, not at all expecting this kind of conversation. However, he was glad that she had such an opinion of him. He knew that, in a way, he wanted her to accept him, but he couldn't force her.

''I'll take that as a compliment then,'' Springtrap said, glad to see her smile again.

**xXx**

''Huh?''

He noticed something glinting on the floor. He picked it up, noticing it were keys.

''Now, now, who would do that? Someone far too curious for their own good?'' He closed his hand. ''Tsk, tsk, that not how things are done here. Safety is very important to us, isn't it?''

He then turned around, seeing a small boy looking curiously at him. He grinned beneath the mask.

''Do you want to meet my friends?''


	7. It's Never Satisfied

**Night 6**

**It's Never Satisfied**

_''A story ever vile, such wicked thoughts behind a smile. They wander all the while, I wonder what they're thinking? It's painted faces all I see, they're always haunting me. It's pulling strings of life tonight, it sleeps, please buy us time. Oh, please rewind a tainted rhyme.''_

_– **Painted Faces** by Trickywi ft. Rezyon_

**xXxXxXx**

''We're dead.''

''Do you have to be so dramatic?''

Sam glanced at Springtrap who, despite the response, looked rather nervous when he saw the black car parking in the driveway. The two were at the guest room, watching as a woman exited the car, then walked over to the trunk, opening it.

''I'll go ahead then,'' Sam said, looking both nervous and eager about the whole introduction thing.

Springtrap felt anxious as he watched her leave. He knew that this was inevitable and he wasn't looking forward to it, but it was something that needed to be dealt with if he wanted to stay here. Still, what was he supposed to do or say? How was he supposed to even behave around Sam's mother? He had been thinking about it the whole night, but couldn't really come up with anything. The only thing he knew was that he needed to stay calm and try not to panic, and especially not say anything stupid. He sighed.

''Why do I have a feeling that this is going to be a disaster?''

**xXx**

While Springtrap was debating on how to approach the situation, Sam walked outside, noticing her mother struggling with a box labeled ''FRAGILE''.

''Hey, Mum! Do you need help?'' she asked, with her mother giving her the box.

''Thanks! Please, put it in the house and I'll take a better look at it before I meet up with Cassie at the store,'' her mother replied.

''Okay,'' Sam replied, but instead of going inside, she waited, wondering whether she should tell her mother about Springtrap or put the box away first before she somehow breaks whatever was inside it. ''So, what did you find?''

''A porcelain tea set and some furniture. I asked Adam to pick it up for me, since it wouldn't fit in the car,'' her mother replied, taking out another box from the trunk and closing it. Sam knew that Adam was Cassie's husband, who tended to help them out. Cassie was her mother's friend from high-school and worked at her mother's store. ''So, what did you do while I was away? Have you even left the house?''

''Actually, I did…''

''Well, thank God! I thought you'd be holed up in your room forever,'' her mother said, looking relieved. Sam smiled nervously, with her mother noticing it. She frowned. ''What did you do now?''

Sam felt like she shrunk under her mother's intense glare. She wondered how in the world was Springtrap going to survive this.

''Let's just say that I finally followed your advice and found a new friend,'' Sam replied.

''Oh, really?'' Despite her carefree tone, Sam didn't trust the eager look her mother gave her. ''So, who is your new friend?''

''You'll meet him soon,'' Sam said in a quiet tone, taking a deep breath. Her mother narrowed her eyes, looking at her daughter as they entered the kitchen and put the boxes on the table.

''Okay, where is your friend?'' Sam's mother turned to her, crossing her arms. She noticed Sam looking towards the entrance to the kitchen and followed her gaze.  
To her shock, a tall golden-green bunny with a purple bowtie peeked into the kitchen, before stepping inside and revealing himself. At first, she thought it was a person in a costume, until she realized that there was no way that those eyes belonged to a human or were even part of a normal costume. They were silver and green, only to start glowing in a soft purple.

Springtrap noticed the look of disbelief Sam's mother was giving him, his mind racing. No matter what Sam told him, he was _not_ prepared for this. He noticed that the shocked expression Sam's mother gave him turned into a glare, with her obviously expecting him to explain himself. He felt his anxiety skyrocketing, knowing he had to say something, but his mind was blank.

_Oh, God, how am I supposed to respond to her? This is not good! Okay, keep calm, you can do it!_

''Why, hello~,'' he said in a charming tone, waving at Sam's mother.

She was glaring daggers at him, while Sam looked torn between being mortified and laughing. Her expression was screaming _Dude, this so wrong on so many levels!_. He realized that he completely messed up and attempted to give her an innocent smile. Sam's mother didn't buy it. She glanced at her daughter, who looked as if she had been taken out in front of the firing squad.

''Sam,'' she said in a gentle, sickeningly sweet tone, despite Sam knowing that she was just sharpening the knife before going for the kill. ''When I told you to go out and find some friends, I wasn't expecting you to bring back a robotic bunny.''

She then narrowed her eyes, her arms crossed, with Sam knowing what that look meant. _Explain yourself!_

''Mum, this is Springtrap,'' she said, trying to sound nonchalant. ''He's a sentient animatronic from Freddy's and he kinda followed me home. Could he stay with us, please? He doesn't really have anywhere else to stay and he won't cause any trouble.''

''Really?'' Her mother then looked at Springtrap, who was startled. Despite her polite, kind tone, she still looked at him as if she was about to kill him. ''My name is Emma Blackburn. Now, I was hoping you would tell me a little more about yourself.''

''Well, I-'' Springtrap noticed that Emma had brown hair, but hers was shorter and lighter than Sam's. However, her and Sam's eyes were precisely the same shade of brown, causing him to panic even more. He had already trouble dealing with Sam whenever she gave him that unnerving gaze, but Emma was worse. She didn't trust him at all and, if he wasn't so sure that he never met this woman in his life before, he would swear that she knew his past, present and future.

''You know, Mum, he isn't exactly the weirdest thing brought to this house,'' Sam interrupted, stepping in between her mother and Springtrap, trying to salvage the situation. Springtrap gave her a look of relief, glad that she saved him. ''Remember the Plague Doctor?''

Her mother's gaze softened as she remembered what she meant, even smiling, but she still shot a glare at Springtrap, who looked like a child who was just caught by their parents with one hand in the cookie jar. At least, that's how he felt. Emma smiled when Springtrap lowered his head, feeling quite embarrassed. He did not want this to happen.

''Fine, he can stay,'' Emma said, glancing at Sam.

 **''Really?!''** Sam and Springtrap said in unison, only to flinch when Emma glared at both of them.

''Yes, but under one condition,'' she said, walking up to Springtrap, who looked back nervously. He felt as if she was staring straight into his soul. ''You should behave yourself while you're under my roof.''

''Yes, ma'am,'' Springtrap replied hastily. ''I promise.''

Emma looked satisfied, the stern expression she had vanishing instantly. She actually looked quite cheerful.

''Great,'' she said, clapping her hands and looking at her daughter. ''Now that we have dealt with this, do you want me to prepare something for lunch, or…''

''Oh, I have already eaten,'' Sam replied, looking relieved. She then grabbed Springtrap's hand, with the latter looking quite startled. ''Springtrap and I will be in my room, if you need us.''

''Okay, then,'' Emma replied, still smiling.

Sam quickly dragged Springtrap upstairs, with the animatronic forcing himself to not look back at Emma's direction, having the uncanny feeling that she was still staring at him. Once Sam closed the door of her room, he let a sigh of relief. He plopped down on the floor, while Sam dragged the bean bag, placing it and sitting across him.

''You know, when you told me about your mother, I thought you were just exaggerating it,'' he said, shuddering.

''No, I was toning it down for you,'' Sam replied sarcastically, with Springtrap looking really uncomfortable.

''No offense, but your mother is kind of…'' Springtrap wasn't even sure how to express his feelings. ''She is scary.''

''None taken. She has that effect on people, especially if she doesn't trust them,'' Sam said in a comforting tone. ''Nevertheless, she gave you the green light, so you don't have to worry. At least unless she learns the whole truth.''

''How long do you think we have left?'' Springtrap asked.

''I'm giving her until the end of the week,'' Sam said. ''And that's me being optimistic.''

Springtrap sighed, glancing at Sam tiredly. ''Thanks for covering for me.''

''You're welcome, considering how you didn't make a good first impression on her,'' Sam said.

''I can't think clear when I panic!'' Springtrap replied in an attempt to defend himself, with Sam rolling her eyes.

''William, you sounded like you were trying to flirt with my mum,'' she said. Springtrap buried his face into his hands, looking completely embarrassed.

''This was not my intention. I was just trying to be nice and polite,'' he said, glancing at her. ''You're not going to let me forget this, right?''

''I'm not that cruel,'' Sam replied. ''Now, calm down a little. The worst is over.''

''I don't think it is,'' Springtrap sighed, then gave her a curious look. ''Say, what was that about the Plague Doctor?''

''Oh, that one?'' Sam grinned. ''Last Halloween, Mum brought some kind of statue of a plague doctor, with replica clothes and a beak mask, and planned to sell it to someone who was interested in it. The guy said he would pick it up, so we kept it at our house. Since it was Halloween, I thought it would make a good decoration and put it at our front porch.''

''I can imagine that the visitors really loved that decoration,'' Springtrap said in an amused tone.

''Yeah, they really did,'' Sam said sarcastically. ''You see, I messed with it a little. I put a speaker behind the statue and would play hellish screams whenever trick-or-treaters or pranksters would approach the house. It was funny to see them scream and run away. To be honest, it was really loud and I was surprised that the neighbours never came over to check what was going on. I later found out that they were at a Halloween party and that their house was empty.''

''Were there any complaints?'' Springtrap asked her.

''Remember how I told you about my so-called friends? Well, they were the pranksters who tried to throw eggs and silly string at my house. After I scared them to death, I got a call from them and they were threatening to call the cops on me for putting such a horrible decoration,'' Sam said. ''I told them that they had nothing on me, since, first, it was my property and I could do whatever I wanted. Second, the Plague Doctor was just a decoration and not some dead body. And third, it was Halloween – what did they expect? Rainbows and unicorns?''

''That was a really brilliant idea of yours,'' Springtrap said, grinning, while Sam was beaming.

''As said, as scary as it was, it could've been worse,'' Sam replied. ''I'm not completely sure if it's an urban legend, but I read somewhere that people put up dummies on trees to make it look like someone hanged themselves as a decoration. There had been one dummy which lasted days past Halloween, with everyone thinking someone forgot to take it off. That is, until they investigated and discovered that it was an actual corpse.''

''That's disturbing,'' Springtrap muttered. ''Still, I wish I could've seen your little prank.''

''Sadly, SCP-049 had been sold, so there's no way I can repeat that. Speaking of which, I doubt that anyone will try to come to my house this year,'' Sam said. ''Perhaps, it is for the better.''

''SCP?''

''There's a website called _SCP Foundation_ , where people pretend that they are part of an organisation that secures, contains and protects strange beings who are often supernatural and very dangerous in nature. Anything can be an SCP,'' Sam explained. ''After Mum brought the statue, I nicknamed it SCP-049, aka the Plague Doctor, as that was the exact entry I found on the website. Although, it is a good thing that the statue wasn't the actual SCP, because the real deal tends to dissect and infect animals and people in order to find the cure for the plague.''

''I guess that, if that foundation was real, they probably would've considered me an SCP as well, right?'' Springtrap said.

''Yeah,'' Sam replied. ''I can already imagine how that would look like. They probably would try to conduct an interview with you, trying to figure out who you are and how you got yourself into this situation.''

''Speaking of which, this is Night 4, isn't it?'' Springtrap said, with Sam nodding and standing up. She looked past him, at the door. Springtrap quickly turned around, expecting Emma to stand there, but to his relief, she wasn't in the room. He glanced back at Sam, with her shaking her head.

''My mum is not someone who eavesdrops,'' she said in a quiet tone. ''But, she is scarily good at figuring things out, so it would be a good idea to not talk about your past while she's around. Not to mention, she doesn't trust you at all.''

''I figured that out myself,'' Springtrap replied dryly. He stood up, noticing a soft smile on her expression, only for it to change into a more serious look. She sat down on the swivel chair, turning her laptop on.

''You know, a few days ago, I had this really terrifying nightmare,'' Sam said, looking at Springtrap. ''I was alone at home and that someone was trying to get inside my house, so I ran around and locked all the doors and closed all the windows. Once I knew I was safely locked inside and nobody could get in, I realized that the footsteps I heard whenever I would move weren't mine. The last thing I saw before I woke up was a man in black clothes and a hoodie over his face, stabbing me with a knife right in the eye.''

''I guess you must've felt really unsafe in your own home after that, even if it was just a nightmare,'' Springtrap said.

''Yeah, but that's also the point. Sometimes, you don't feel safe in your own home,'' Sam said, with Springtrap having the uncanny feeling that this was related to him. The gaze Sam gave him didn't help. The two got suddenly startled when they heard knocking on the door. It opened, with Emma peeking inside.

''I'll get going then,'' she said, looking at Sam. ''Is there anything you need?''

''No, I'm fine,'' Sam replied, with Emma nodding and closing the door. Springtrap glanced back at Sam, who remained silent until they heard the door downstairs closing. She looked at him, with Springtrap feeling a little concerned as he sat down on her bed.

''I guess we should continue with Night 4,'' he said.

''That also means that only one more Night is left for both of us to make our decisions,'' Sam said. ''I guess that we'll see tomorrow how this will continue.''

''I know,'' Springtrap said. He was a little anxious about it, as he still wasn't sure how the whole thing would end. He knew that, despite the trust Sam had showed him, she was still insecure about his presence. _Or even afraid._

Springtrap hated that thought, despite being aware that it was true. He noticed Sam looking at him, her expression solemn. It reminded him of that look she gave him when she asked him about the Missing Children Incident, but it was still a little different. He then realized that it felt as if she was going to ask him about something deeply personal.

''You had a family, right, William?'' Sam said in a quiet tone. Even though he was aware that Sam would eventually ask him about it, Springtrap still hoped that she wouldn't. He could understand her curiosity, but this was something he really didn't want to talk about. He lowered his head, sighing.

''I did,'' he said. ''I assume you're already aware of what happened.''

''For the most part, but there are still a few things I don't understand,'' Sam said, glancing at her laptop. ''For example, there are some things that can be considered nightmares born out of our fears. I mean the type of nightmare that would never exist in the real life. Then, there are those types of nightmares that we know that they can happen in real life. Then, there is this stuff.''

Springtrap knew that, by now, he shouldn't even be surprised anymore by the things Sam brought up or revealed. However, he was still stunned to see an image of Nightmare Freddy tipping his black top hat, with small mini versions of him, known as Freddles, coming out of his torso. He looked as if he was welcoming someone to a party.

'' _Five Nights at Freddy's 4_ ,'' Sam continued. ''I had no idea what was going on in this game and I spent most of the time debating whether the Nightmare Animatronics were real or not.''

Springtrap noticed the curious look she was giving him. Despite her looking rather nonchalant, the heavy-hearted tone she addressed him with and her mentioning his family, as well as the Nightmare Animatronics, gave him a very good idea what event she wanted to question him about.

Still, she didn't pressure him, nor did she demand answers. She wanted to let him speak for himself, which he was thankful for. He sighed, trying to keep calm. There was no panic, although he did feel a little anxious. He knew what happened and what he had done, but now that he reflected on it, he too felt like it was just a nightmare he would soon wake up from. However, this was never a dream, but cruel reality.

''Those Nightmare Animatronics, as you call them, were my creation,'' Springtrap said, glancing at Sam. She was listening intently to him, her expression showing no judgement whatsoever. All she wanted to know was the full story behind his actions. ''However, there is a reason why I made them like that.''

''Why were they even created?'' Sam asked.

''You asked me about my family. Well, at that time, I had three children: Michael, Sammy and Elizabeth. My wife had just left me, as she was upset that I would keep myself locked up in my workshop and she felt I wasn't anymore the man she knew. Or, perhaps she knew, and wanted to escape that life before it was too late for her,'' Springtrap lowered his head. ''Michael, Sammy and Elizabeth wanted to stay with me, though, instead of leaving with their mother. Elizabeth was always a daddy's girl, so I guess that's why she wanted to stay with me. Michael and Sammy loved the animatronics me and Henry created, so that might be their reason. They wanted to stay with the parent who had access to all those amazing and shiny toys. I once overheard Michael bragging to his friends about the animatronics and how he was happy I made them. He was especially fond of Foxy. Sammy, on the other hand, liked Fredbear more.''

Springtrap smiled at the memory of his children. They looked amazed when they were introduced to the animatronics, if a little fearful. Still, the fear quickly vanished as they explored more and more the world that seemed to be created just for them. _Why couldn't I appreciate their smiles a little more?_

''This was all before the horror show you know about,'' he added in a dejected tone. ''Before I decided that my own selfish desire to fill the void I felt inside me had priority over the happiness of my own family.''

He glanced at the monitor, attempting to avoid Sam's gaze. He didn't want to know whether she was giving him a look of disgust or compassion until he told her everything.

''Would you believe me that I created those Nightmares to protect my youngest son?''

There was a brief silence, causing Springtrap to look up. Sam looked surprised, albeit it wasn't the kind of surprise he anticipated. Instead of being shocked that he would even think about protecting his own children, she looked more like she had assumed that that might have been one of the possibilities and was simply in the process of accepting the truth. _She's open to any theory until it is debunked. But, will she accept the truth the way it is?_

''You know, constant fear isn't really the best method of protection,'' Sam finally replied.

''I realized that a little too late,'' Springtrap said. ''I wanted Sammy to stay away from the animatronics for his own safety, hoping tragedy won't struck again. Those Nightmare Animatronics were completely under my control and, despite looking scary, they would never harm him.''

''I guess that being scarred for life was still a better alternative than dying at the hands of an animatronic,'' Sam said in a quiet tone, looking at her laptop and opening another file. ''However, that didn't work out.''

''I knew that Sammy would stay away from the animatronics, but I didn't anticipate Michael trying to play a prank on his brother,'' Springtrap said, noticing the video Sam played. A crying child was struggling as he tried to escape Fredbear's mouth, only for it to close down on his head with a sickening _crunch_. He flinched and looked away with a pained look on his expression, closing his eyes. _There was so much blood._

He could still see it, one of the many memories he just wanted to forget. He was in the back room at that time, when he suddenly heard screams and someone yelling to call the ambulance. He rushed out, only to see Michael and his friends crying and freaking out over the seemingly lifeless body in Fredbear's mouth. Blood was trickling down the suit in small rivers, staining it.

Once he overcame the shock and realized what happened, he had rushed over to the animatronic, turning it off and gently removing the body of his youngest son. He was still breathing, but what was left of his head was a complete mess, a jumble of flesh, bones and blood. People were screaming, children were crying, his older son was apologizing over and over again in fear, the ambulance had finally arrived… He never heard any of it. It was as if he was surrounded by a barrier, severing him from the rest of the world. All he saw was a half-dead Sammy and all he heard was a voice inside his head. _Not again… Why did this happen again?!_

''Will…''

He looked up, noticing Sam in front of him. He then realized that his hands were shaking and he forced himself to calm down, despite the fear and anxiety lurking in the back of his mind. He noticed the look of concern Sam gave him, mixed with sympathy. He could sense the hollow feeling spreading through his chest, combined with a sudden urge to hug her.

_No..._

He was taken aback by that thought, resisting it. _Why would she still be here after all the horrible things I had done? Why would she even want to comfort me?_

He lowered his head. _At least, she is here, trying to understand something even I couldn't or I didn't want to understand._

''I haven't seen what happened, but I saw the aftermath,'' he told her. ''It was horrible.''

''What happened to Sammy?'' Sam asked.

''He was rushed into the hospital and ended up in a coma from which he never woke up,'' Springtrap said darkly. His eyes narrowed, and somewhere, in the corner of his mind, he heard the sound of a flatline. ''I hoped I could put him back together.''

''Just like Elizabeth.''

Springtrap looked up at her, then noticed that she was looking at the monitor. To his surprise, it showed an image of Circus Baby, gazing back at them with a sinister smile.

 _''Five Nights at Freddy's: Sister Location,''_ Sam said. ''There are still a few more things I want to ask you about, but I feel that they couldn't be asked unless I included this into our conversation.''

 _Of course not. It wouldn't feel complete, after all._ Springtrap sighed, feeling a sudden urge to laugh and cry. He still remembered the conversation he had about Circus Baby, the one animatronic he had been proud of the most, aside from his cherished Spring Bonnie suit.

_''There's no doubting what you've achieved on a technical level. These are clearly state-of-the-art. There are just certain... 'design choices' that were made for these robots that we don't fully understand. We were hoping that you could shed some light on those.''_

_''She can dance. She can sing. She's equipped with a built-in helium tank, inflating balloons right at her fingertips. She can take song requests. She can even dispense ice cream.''_

_''With all due respect, those were the design choices we were curious about, Mr. Afton.''_

He knew that they would never understand why he created them.

_''Daddy isn't watching.''_

He snapped out of his memory, looking at Sam, who glanced at an audio file. The voice he heard, it wasn't Elizabeth's, even though it was similar, but rather a recording from the game she showed him. He noticed the gaze Sam was giving him. Even though the animatronics were long gone, this story was not over yet.

''I know that The Bite of '83 was an accident. I know that the springlock suits were not supposed to maim anyone and yet they did,'' Sam said, shaking her head. ''But, why would you want to create animatronics that are capable of killing people?''

''Maybe because kids would trust more a shiny animatronic than an adult,'' Springtrap replied sarcastically and sighed. ''I understand what you mean. This was just another of my crazy ideas when I decided that murder was the only thing that could satisfy me.''

''Even the death of your own daughter?'' Sam asked darkly. Springtrap shook his head, looking upset.

''I never wanted Elizabeth to die. While I told her I made Circus Baby just for her, I didn't mean that in a literal way,'' Springtrap replied. He felt his hands shaking again and he closed his eyes, but he still saw blood.

_''Daddy…''_

She was still alive when he found her, all alone in the room and trapped inside the robot. There was no blood, at least not until he opened the animatronic, only to see a blood-covered arm reaching and a quiet voice calling for him.

_''Daddy… I'm sorry…''_

He gently picked her up, cradling her in his arms. The light in her eyes faded.

_''I just… wanted to play…''_

He wanted to scream, but he couldn't. He just stared at the little body of his daughter as she passed away. He had no idea what he was doing, as it felt as if someone else was controlling him. All he knew afterwards was that he placed the body back into the animatronic and closed it. A day later, Circus Baby's Pizza World was closed due to supposed gas leaks.

''I didn't expect that her soul would possess Circus Baby, although, at that point I wasn't aware that that was even possible. To be honest, her death occurred shortly after Charlie's,'' Springtrap added in a grave tone. ''Henry lost his daughter, so I guess that it would be only fair that I lose mine as well.''

_But, that wasn't enough. Even Hell wasn't enough to satisfy whoever wanted to keep on torturing me and watching me suffer. It doesn't matter if it's supposed to be over. For me, this nightmare has no satisfactory ending._

''The only one who was left was Michael,'' Sam said, breaking the silence. Springtrap lowered his head when he saw her unnerving gaze. ''You sent him to his death as well, if indirectly. You made the same mistake just like you did with Elizabeth and Sammy.''

''I think that, at that point, I just stopped caring. Nothing mattered to me anymore,'' Springtrap said, shaking his head. ''I didn't even care for my own life.''

''Michael certainly did seem to care, considering how he decided to stop you, even though he had been scooped and worn as a suit by Ennard, who later escaped once it started to decompose. His soul only remained thanks to remnant,'' Sam said firmly. ''Circus Baby was right when she said that he wouldn't die, although death would be more than welcoming in his situation.''

Springtrap remained silent. He knew that he was a horrible parent and even worse as a person. He glanced at Sam, who, while she didn't look as disgusted as he feared she would, still gave him a look that made him want to crawl back to Hell and stay there so he wouldn't have to face her. He simply felt exhausted, staring emptily at the floor.

''I guess that we can both agree that, as a father, you failed,'' Sam said.

''I think I failed not only as a father, but also as a person,'' Springtrap replied bitterly.

''That too,'' Sam said, with Springtrap being a little startled by how blunt she was. Still, he felt that he had it coming.

''May I ask you something?'' he said. Sam, who was searching for something on her laptop, turned her chair and looked at him, a curious look on her expression.

''Sure,'' she said briskly.

''Does Emma even know about your urban explorations?'' Springtrap asked. Sam bit her lip, giving him a sheepish look.

''Actually, she does,'' Sam said, looking as if she was remembering something mildly unpleasant. ''But, she's fine with it as long as I don't get myself into trouble. Also, I'm not say that she doesn't care, as she does. I want to say that she trusts me and I'm not that stupid to betray her trust by getting myself into trouble or doing something dangerous.''

''Oh, really?'' Springtrap said in a deadpan tone. Sam rolled her eyes.

''I know that this was a dangerous idea,'' Sam said, frowning and looking a little insecure, with Springtrap feeling bad for causing her to get upset again. ''Still, there is one more Night left, so let's keep it a secret for now, okay?''

''Okay…'' Springtrap nodded. Sam smiled, although Springtrap noticed that she still looked a little insecure. He wanted to say something to comfort her, but there was nothing on his mind. He simply hated it seeing her downhearted. ''Sam?''

''Yeah?''

''I'm sorry.'' He noticed the surprised and curious look Sam gave him. He sighed. ''I don't really know anymore… You looked really uncomfortable.''

''Thanks and I accept your apology,'' Sam said, smiling again, but this time, it was sincere. He was relieved to see her smile, feeling happy, and sensing once again the warmth in his chest. However, he still felt that there was something wrong.

The warmth had vanished.

**xXx**

''We have pizza for dinner?'' Sam said when her mother put down the box. She then grinned. ''Ah, it's from Mamma Mia.''

''Well, from where else would I want to order it?'' Emma asked as Sam placed the plates on the table. Sam shrugged, deciding to not bother her mother with the fact that she got pizza from Ricky's the previous day. Emma would often tell her how Mamma Mia, despite being a small place, always made the best pizza, and who was she to argue with her mother.

As she put a slice on her plate, she noticed Springtrap peeking into the kitchen. She beckoned to him, only to realize he didn't want to join her because Emma was inside as well. She then shrugged and put another slice on her plate.

''I'll eat in my room,'' she told her mother, who didn't respond. However, Emma did notice Springtrap, glaring at him. Once Sam looked back at the animatronic, she noticed him shaking his head and leaving. A little confused, she went to the living room instead, with Emma joining her as she turned the TV on and switching programs to find a good show or a movie. ''So, is everything okay at the store?''

''Yeah,'' Emma replied, glancing at her daughter, a sheepish grin on her expression. ''Except for that old lady who came inside and started complaining about her son, his wife and her family, then started to cry about her life falling apart. I didn't know that my second-hand store was also the local psychiatry.''

''Really?'' Sam raised an eyebrow, then remembered something. ''Didn't you tell me about this lady already?''

''You're right, she's the same one from a couple of weeks ago,'' Emma replied. ''At least, this time she didn't break a figurine and demanded a discount for it. Me and Cassie were stunned when we saw her again.''

''Wow, who would've thought,'' Sam said. She had already heard from her mother or from Cassie about some crazy customers they had and always enjoyed those stories. Their conversation slowly turned into a banter over two movies, with each wanting to watch a different one and Sam ending up teasing her mother over her crush on the actor.

Both enjoyed their evening, not noticing the bunny animatronic who was observing them with a crestfallen look on his expression. He left for upstairs, knowing he was just an intruder here, no matter what Sam told him.

He had already destroyed his family. He didn't want to destroy another one.

**xXx**

Springtrap was sitting on the couch, thinking about what he had discussed with Sam. He felt that there were still a lot of things left unsaid. Maybe it was because of his refusal to talk about it, but he also had a feeling that Sam didn't want to press for more answers because she didn't want to know what other horrible things he had done. Now that he thought about it, he too just wanted to forget everything and move on.

 _I can't_ , he thought bitterly. _It just doesn't work that way. There will always be something that will keep on reminding me of what I did and what happened. There's no way I can ever move on._

He heard the door opening and jumped on his feet, a little agitated. To his surprise, it was Emma who opened the door. She was glaring at him, with Springtrap once again having that uncanny feeling that she was able to see the soul trapped inside the animatronic.

''Hello, Emma,'' he said nervously. ''What-''

He cut himself of when she suddenly approached him, still glaring daggers at him. He involuntarily backed away, only to realize that there was no space for him to retreat due to the couch behind him.

''Keep your mouth shut and listen to me carefully,'' Emma said in a threatening tone. ''I don't know your real name, but I sincerely doubt that you're just an animatronic. I think that you're a lot more than that. For your information, I know what went down at Freddy's. Even though I was a little girl, I did hear the rumor about a bunny leading a child away, only for the child to be reported missing. I am aware that Sam is keeping your true identity secret, but I'm quite sure that I know who you are. Now, give me one good reason to not drag you to the scrap yard and incinerate you.''

At this point, Springtrap felt genuinely scared of Emma. Despite the fact that he was taller than her, she was towering over him. He kept quiet, staring at the floor and fearing that his silence would only anger her more. _But, what am I supposed to say?!_

''You're… You're right,'' he whispered in a defeated tone.

''So, you are the murderer,'' Emma said in a quiet tone, frowning. ''Honestly, I have nothing to say except that you should be in Hell and burn for this.''

''I've been there and my soul returned for a reason even I don't understand,'' Springtrap replied. The two fell silent. Eventually, Emma sighed.

''For some reason, Sam is content with keeping you around. She even calls you her friend,'' she said. ''I don't know why, but I do trust my daughter's judgement. If she didn't have a good reason for this, we wouldn't be having this conversation now.'' She crossed her arms. ''Therefore, I will let you stay…''

Springtrap stared at her in surprise. However, the look she gave him caused his anxiety to skyrocket.

''However, if you step out of the line, even a little, I'll become your worst nightmare,'' Emma added. ''Have you understood me?''

''I did,'' Springtrap muttered. Emma gave him a look of disgust, turned around and left. However, at the door, she glanced back at him.

''Good night,'' she said in a pleasant tone, which gave Springtrap the chills. He was left in the dark once she closed the door. He plopped down on the couch, still freaked out by the whole exchange. He buried his head into his hands, shaking.

_Just how did I get myself into this situation?_


	8. Obsolete

**Night 7**

**Obsolete**

_''And now I'm so far gone! Can you change my name? Can you replace my pain? I know I'm not all wrong, so throw away my parts and burn my blackened heart, yeah. Now I'm broken, I'm scraps, yet I'm the monster. You bring me back to life, so you can watch me die. You can't tame me, just blame me, make me obsolete – there's nothing left to say, just let me fade away!''_

_– **Obsolete** by NateWantsToBattle_

**xXxXxXx**

Springtrap lied awake on the couch, staring through the window at the night sky. Even if he had been capable of sleep, he sincerely doubted he would be able to sleep tonight. He had to wonder how Sam and Emma were even able to sleep peacefully knowing that there was a murderer in a room right next to them. He had already figured out that Sam didn't mind, as long as she got to sleep, although he was surprised that Emma didn't check on him ever since she revealed that she knew who he is. However, considering what she told him, it was clear that she was aware that he wouldn't dare to harm the two.

_They don't fear me, do they?_

He remembered the look of insecurity on Sam's expression, as if she wasn't sure whether she could trust him. He could still see the look of disgust Emma gave him, reminding him how he didn't belong here. He was an intruder, after all, someone who could easily destroy every bit of happiness they had. While he knew that Sam did invite him to stay, he also knew that that was a mistake on his part. He shouldn't have accepted her invitation.

_I shouldn't be here._

A voice in the back of his head was telling him to leave, to never come back. This wasn't his home.

_Leave! Just leave!_

He sat up, about to get on his feet and walk out, but stopped himself. He simply couldn't. Whatever confidence he had regained over the past few days was simply shattered. He didn't feel sure about staying here, but he didn't feel sure about leaving either. After all, Sam wanted him to stay, going so far to keep his identity a secret from her mother. He appreciated that, even if it didn't work out in the end.

_Even if I do leave, I should at least explain to Sam why. I owe her that._

He looked down at his hands, but to his surprise, they weren't metallic and covered in fur. He wasn't an animatronic anymore. He looked around, realizing that he wasn't anymore in the guest room, but back in that dreaded office in Hell.

''This is just another hallucination,'' he muttered. _But, what if it isn't? What if your return was the actual hallucination and you have been here the whole time? Was that possible?_

He clenched his fist, feeling his nails digging into his palms. He noticed how unusually silent it was.

''No, I am not returning back here,'' he said in a firm tone, placing his hands on the table. ''If there is going to be an end to this, I'll end it on my terms.''

He saw static and closed his eyes. Opening them, he found himself back in the dark, familiar room he spent the few past days. He felt relieved about it, but the feeling of emptiness quickly returned.

_This is the last Night, isn't it?_

He felt anxious about it, as he still didn't know what will happen next. Despite being uncomfortable whenever Sam questioned him, he figured it was necessary. Sure, it brought back some memories he would rather forget, but in hindsight, Hell had been worse. At least, Sam gave him the time to think about what occurred.

_Still, did I even prove anything? Five nights are a rather short time to make a decision._

He shook his head, chuckling softly.

_Perhaps, I'm wrong about this. After all, Sam knew what she was doing, and even admitted she was aware of the risk._

He leaned back and sighed, crossing his arms.

_What should I do? I did tell her what she wanted to know, so I guess, she'll be the one to decide how to continue. She was the one who even suggested this little trial. Therefore, if she wants me to leave, I'll leave without a question._

The hollow feeling inside his chest was mixed with anxiety when he remembered the look Emma gave him. Even though she hated him, she still trusted Sam's judgement, but why? As a loving and caring parent, wouldn't she want to keep her daughter safe? He proved that he was indeed a danger to them, yet he was still allowed to stay, being given permission by both.

He glanced at the clear, starry sky.

_I need to ask her why she trusts me so much._

**xXx**

When Springtrap peeked into the kitchen the next day, he noticed that Sam and Emma were already awake and had just finished their breakfast. Emma was drinking coffee and looking at some papers, while Sam was on her phone as usual. She then looked up, noticing him and waving, only to realize that he was staring at her mother, a look of fear on his expression. Emma then noticed the animatronic, a grin on her expression.

''Good morning!'' she said in a cheerful tone. Springtrap backed away, only for Emma to frown.

''G-Good morning,'' Springtrap replied. Sam looked at the two, then rolled her eyes. Springtrap realized that she probably didn't know about his and Emma's exchange from the previous night, although she seemed to be aware that something did happen.

''Why don't you join us?'' Emma asked, beckoning to him. Even though he wanted to leave, Springtrap quietly sat next to Sam, avoiding Emma's gaze. Sam, on the other hand, looked annoyed. Before Emma could say anything else, her phone rang and she picked it up.

''Hello?'' Emma said, only for her expression to change to an irritated one. Nevertheless, she was calm. ''Oh, I'm sorry ma'am, but no, I can't. I have already told you that several times.'' She listened to the other woman on the phone, with Sam and Springtrap hearing her voice, if a little muffled. Just how loud was she? ''Ma'am, you are speaking to the manager and owner of the store. There is-'' Emma flinched when the woman on the other side started to scream. She put the phone away from her ear, rolling her eyes. Once the other side went quiet, she answered, ''We have spoken about this already. I cannot help you. Now excuse me, but I need to go.''

Without even batting an eyelid, she canceled the call and sighed.

''Some people,'' she muttered and then looked at Sam and Springtrap. ''Now, where we-''

Her phone started to ring again, with her recognizing the number. She frowned, took a deep breath and answered.

''Hell-''

_''How dare you?! I am a paying customer! You should be fired from your job for doing this! I will-''_

''I don't care,'' Emma told the lady in a calm tone, who was now loud enough for Sam and Springtrap to hear. ''I will not be conducting business with you.''

_''What?! You can't do that!''_

''I can,'' Emma said, her tone, despite being calm, also having an air of threat. The woman on the other side went quiet. ''If you don't stop calling me, I will sue you for harassment as well. You're also banned from the store. Now, have a good day!'' She then canceled the call and blocked the number, taking a deep breath. She noticed Sam and Springtrap's stunned expressions and shrugged. ''I don't deal with crazy,'' she added, glancing at Springtrap, who looked rather nervous. ''Of course, you don't count as crazy. You can be reasoned with.''

''Sure,'' Springtrap muttered meekly.

''So, Mum, what was this lady's problem?'' Sam asked quickly, trying to reduce the tension.

''Well, she came in a week ago and saw a small table, but it wasn't the right colour,'' Emma explained briskly. ''It was a deep burgundy, and a pretty one to boot, but she wanted a beige one. I told her we only had that table, but she believed that I was lying to her.'' She sighed. ''It is worse than explaining a screaming toddler why they are not allowed to take someone else's toy. At least a toddler would understand it eventually.''

''True,'' Sam said as she stood up, with Springtrap quickly following her, keeping his head low. He got startled by Emma, who passed by him, taking the car keys from the counter and walking over to the door, glancing at them.

''I'll get going then. Bye!'' she said, walking out the door. Once it closed, Springtrap took a deep sigh of relief.

''Finally!''

''Have I missed out on something?'' Sam asked him as they walked into the hallway.

''You have no idea-''

''Ah, I forgot something!''

Springtrap froze when Emma suddenly entered the hallway, walking past them and picking up a black purse. She glanced at him and grinned.

''See ya!'' she said, exiting the house. Springtrap stared at the closed door, feeling as if he died a bit inside.

''I've said it already, but…'' he muttered. ''Your mother is scary.''

''What happened?'' Sam asked as they went upstairs.

''She knows who I am and what I have done, although she doesn't know my real name,'' Springtrap replied. Sam stopped at the door to her room, glancing at him, looking concerned.

''Well, I guess that's a new record for her,'' she said.

''She let me stay, even though I don't understand why,'' Springtrap added. ''She just said that she trusts your judgement.''

''Is that so?'' To his surprise, Sam grinned. ''We'll see about that.''

Springtrap had a bad feeling about this as he sat down on Sam's bed. _Should I ask her? No, not now._

''Are you okay?'' He looked up, noticing Sam's curious look. He shook his head.

''Let's just get through this,'' he said. ''Night 5.''

''You don't seem to look forward to it,'' Sam said as she turned her laptop on.

''I don't recall ever looking forward to any of your questioning,'' Springtrap replied. Sam gave him a worried look.

''Springtrap, you told me that, whenever something bothers me, that I could tell you,'' she said. ''The opposite is true as well. If there's anything that bothers you, you can tell me and I'll try to help you as much as possible.''

''I…'' Springtrap shook his head ''I just want to get over with this.''

He noticed that Sam still looked worried, but she didn't press the issue, deciding to let him speak on his own terms. When he looked at the monitor, he noticed that she was scrolling down and searching through files and images, seemingly indecisive about what she wanted to show him. Finally, she settled down on some kind of map, with corridors surrounding one big room.

''This one is known as _Five Nights at Freddy's 6: Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator_ ,'' Sam said, with Springtrap wondering who came up with that title. ''Apparently, this one is based on what supposedly went down at the incinerator location.''

''That explains the _Pizzeria Simulator_ title,'' Springtrap said. ''The question remains whether it's accurate.''

''Well, it shows several animatronics being salvaged, then coming after whoever stayed for the closing shift in a building designed as a trap, and a huge fire with everything burning down, including the only two people who knew what was really going on,'' Sam explained. Springtrap stared at her for a moment.

''Yeah, that's pretty accurate,'' he said. ''Although, what I don't get is how anyone would know anything about what happened.''

''Beats me. I mean, the games are sometimes quite vague and it took me a while to figure out what was going on,'' Sam said. ''Whoever made the games was either quite familiar with the lore or we're dealing with something else entirely.''

''Whatever it is, it doesn't matter anymore,'' Springtrap replied, leaning his head against his hands. ''The story is over.''

''What makes you think that?'' Sam asked him, but Springtrap didn't answer. ''Seriously, the story isn't over yet. Besides, there are a few things I'm curious about.''

''What is it?'' Springtrap asked, by now sounding a little apathetic, but still willing to answer any question she had.

''What kind of idiot walks into a place knowing that it is obviously a trap?'' Sam asked, staring at Springtrap. The animatronic looked a little embarrassed at first, then sighed and pointed at himself.

''This idiot.'' He noticed that Sam was giving him a look that was a mix of incredulity, amusement and, strangely, sympathy. He lowered his head, staring emptily into space. ''To be honest, I think that by that point, I lost all of my common sense. I didn't care about anything, but satisfying my bloodlust.''

''Your fate was sealed the moment you decided to step inside,'' Sam said. ''Although, I'm not sure why you decided to change your appearance.''

''The animatronic suit had been quite damaged at the Fazbear's Fright fire,'' Springtrap explained, looking up at her. ''I needed some replacement parts and I tore down another suit for that. It was obvious that I would look different after that, but I didn't care about it as long as the suit was functional.''

''Only that it wouldn't last,'' Sam said, then smiled sheepishly. ''Speaking of which, I'm not sure if I told you this, but I also visited the _Pizzeria Simulator_ location. I had sneaked into the back alley and even noticed two guys bringing an animatronic inside. However, before I could get a better look, one of them, a guy who had his face and hands covered in bandages, chased me away.''

Springtrap stared at Sam in surprise.

''You said a guy who had his face covered in bandages…'' he trailed off, with Sam nodding.

''Yeah. I think that was Michael,'' she said. ''Honestly, it does feel a little strange. I mean, when I realized later what exactly happened, I wondered how things would've ended up if I had decided to investigate a little more.''

''You'd be met by four bloodthirsty animatronics and perhaps even end up trapped inside a burning building with no exit,'' Springtrap said. ''It's a good thing you decided to not investigate.'' He noticed her fidgeting, as if she wanted to ask him something else. ''What is it?''

''Well, about your second death…'' Sam trailed off, a little insecure, only for Springtrap to nod.

''It was horrifying,'' Springtrap replied. ''I mean, we were being burned alive, trying to find an exit and realizing there was never one. All that happened while Henry was telling us how this was the end for everyone. It was quite chilling to listen to him.''

''I can imagine that,'' Sam said, shuddering. ''You two never interacted at that time, right?''

''No,'' Springtrap replied. ''The only interaction we had was his last message, where he condemned me to Hell.''

''What about Michael?'' Sam asked.

''Mike…'' Springtrap frowned, falling silent. ''I wasn't even aware.''

It was a small, dark room. He had been brought inside, waiting for whoever would oversee the salvaging process. All he had to do was to play his part. Someone had entered the room, a man in a purple uniform, with a baseball cap obscuring his face. He saw the bandages on his hands and his face, wondering if the man had been in some kind of accident. He kept quiet, figuring that he could give the man a little scare as they listened to the strange sounds on the recorder. However, whenever he would lean over, he felt an electric shock surging through his body. By the end of it, he was angry, furious enough to make the man his newest target.

Springtrap sighed.

''It was only the last night I realized who he really was,'' he added.

''I guess everyone in your family went through some kind of Hell,'' Sam said. ''There is a possibility that maybe even Mike had a run-in with the Nightmare Animatronics.''

''I doubt it,'' Springtrap replied, frowning.

''I didn't mean the real Nightmare Animatronics, but rather having nightmares about them. Even though you're indirectly responsible for Sammy's death, it was still Mike who shoved his younger brother into Fredbear's mouth. It could be that Sammy came back haunting his brother and punishing him by causing him nightmares,'' Sam explained.

''You might be right,'' Springtrap said in a solemn tone. ''He had really changed after his brother's death. He rarely brought up what happened and would follow any of my requests without questioning it.''

''Until the accident with Ennard,'' Sam said, crossing her arms. ''I believe that, in order to find you, he might've infiltrated every Freddy's location and had even tried to figure out how to deal with the animatronics.''

Springtrap kept silent as he thought about it. He remembered how Michael had always been a bit of a troublemaker. However, he had also shown remarkable persistence in whatever he was doing. Whatever he had in mind, he went through with it, rarely thinking about the consequences. _Nothing mattered anymore, I guess, as long as someone put an end to this nightmare. Henry and Michael achieved their goal._

''There's one more thing,'' Sam said, drawing his attention. He noticed that the image on the monitor and realized that it was now showing a selection screen with almost all of the animatronics he had encountered in Hell. ''Welcome to _Ultimate Custom Night_ , where you can select and create your own challenges.''

''It doesn't matter how you call, it is still Hell,'' Springtrap replied, a little agitated. ''It is a game to you, but imagine having your soul torn apart over and over again while listening to them taunting you over and over again. Every time I won, it got only harder and once I beat the whole thing, everything started all over again.''

''So, you managed to beat UCN Hell?'' Sam asked, with Springtrap nodding. ''To be honest, that's kind of impressive.''

''You think so?'' Springtrap looked at her, surprised.

''The game is supposedly impossible to beat and you went through actual Hell. I wouldn't have been surprised if the reward for beating it was letting you escape,'' Sam said.

''Maybe it was,'' Springtrap said, looking at the animatronic suit. _But, what would be the point of that? Why would anyone let me return?_

''Do you know who was the one who set up that Hell?'' Sam asked, only to look a little disappointed when Springtrap shook his head.

''No,'' he replied. ''I just know that it was probably one of my former victims. At least, that's how they presented themselves.'' He kept quiet, waiting for her next question. Silence filled the room, causing him to look up, with Sam giving him a curious, yet sympathetic look. He felt confused. ''Is there anything else you want to ask me?''

''I think there is something you want to tell me,'' Sam replied.

Springtrap lowered his head. There were so many questions on his mind, so many things he wanted to discuss, but at the same time, he wanted to avoid talking about it. The hollow feeling was spreading through his chest once again as he realized something. He had reached the end of his trial.

''Nothing should last forever,'' he said, a look of defeat on his expression. ''You know, while I was still at Hell, I was constantly being reminded of what I had done. I was too far gone, always being called a monster and blamed for what I had done. There was no eternal silence for me. Even if I managed to survive, I would start to hallucinate about what happened. With each confrontation, I'd be torn between accepting what I had done and refusing to acknowledge my punishment. I didn't fear dying, but rather, whether I would be able to continue, whether I'd be able to come back once again. After all, I had created a horror story that became, in a way, my legacy. It was my masterpiece.''

''You call all of this your masterpiece?'' Sam asked, a little unsettled. Springtrap smiled softly, looking as if he was reminiscing.

''However, that masterpiece has become obsolete and I was broken,'' he said. ''I'm not supposed to be here, we both know that. Maybe I was brought back to life, only to be left to die again. I have lost my place and what's left for me is just to fade away.''

''No.'' Springtrap looked in surprise at Sam, who was looking back at him with a determined expression. ''I don't think that you, nor what happened, has become obsolete.''

''What makes you say that?'' Springtrap asked. Sam got up, looking at him as she smiled.

''As far as I have noticed, what happened left a huge impact on you,'' she explained. ''Not only that, but the past few days made you also think about your choices. Or do you want to tell me that you'd be saying that regardless of what happened or what I told you?''

''Sam, I don't think that-'' Springtrap stood up, only to be startled when Sam cut him off.

''Maybe you have been brought back to suffer, but you still have returned. Instead of debating whether this was the right or wrong decision, you should try to figure out what to do next,'' Sam said.

''Then, I guess I should leave,'' Springtrap said. ''That would be the right thing to do, wouldn't it?''

''Springtrap…'' Sam muttered, looking a little unnerved when Springtrap suddenly stepped towards her.

''You are still afraid of me, aren't you?'' he asked in a quiet tone. ''You don't trust me either. I'm not blaming you for that, as I don't trust myself. I still have issues and there's no doubt I would hurt you eventually. Even if I do feel horrible for threatening you, there is no way for either of us to know what will happen if I stay.''

''Do you really want this?'' Sam asked, with Springtrap being taken aback.

''I…'' He clenched his fist, wanting to retort that this was what he wanted, but he kept silent. He sighed. ''Not really…''

''Even though you know how dangerous you are, you would still rather satisfy your selfish desire,'' Sam said dryly, crossing her arms. ''You'll never change. Still, thanks for being honest with me.''

''I guess that it cannot be helped,'' Springtrap said, lowering his head, only to notice Sam staring at him with a curious look on her expression. To his surprise, she walked up to him, standing on her toes and, before he could even react, she booped his nose. He stepped back, his eyes flaring purple, as he stared at her with an irritated look on his expression. ''You really love doing that.''

''Yeah, and you're a dork,'' Sam replied, with Springtrap looking a little weirded out. He couldn't understand how she could be so calm, despite everything he had told her. He knew that the next logical step would be to ask her, but for some stupid reason, he was afraid of her answer.

 _It is not up to you to decide. This is her decision._ He sighed, trying to calm down, and looked at her. ''Sam, what do you want?''

''I want you to stay,'' Sam replied, a look of satisfaction on her expression. Springtrap stared at her in shock.

''Why would you even want me to stay?!'' He didn't want to yell at her, but he couldn't contain his frustration anymore. His eyes flared purple. ''After everything I told you, you should be happy that I decided to leave you alone! You should yell at me to never come back! How does this make any sense?!''

''William, are you even listening to what you're saying?'' Sam asked him calmly, causing him to stop his rant. ''You fear for my safety and I understand that. However, that fear is based on your past experiences, not on your current ones. Except for the time at Freddy's, when did you actually threaten to murder me?''

Springtrap was taken aback, realizing that she was technically right. Whenever he told her something he did, it was always about what happened in the past. Not only that, but he insisted on helping her whenever she felt miserable. He felt really foolish about the fact that he just assumed things, instead of considering to ask Sam about her opinion. After all, didn't his last assumption lead to his final death?

''But, still, why would you want to trust me?'' he asked in a quiet tone. ''What if the past repeats?''

''William, it is up to you to decide whether you want to repeat the past,'' Sam replied. ''You also made it clear that that you don't want to let it happen again.''

Springtrap stepped back and plopped down on her bed, a look of defeat and exhaustion on his expression. He buried his head into his hands.

''I'm a complete idiot,'' he muttered.

''No doubt about that.'' Springtrap lifted his head, noticing that Sam sat right next to him. He frowned.

''Thanks,'' he said dryly, noticing her smile.

''You know, the reason why I trust you so much is because you were completely honest with me, even if you felt uncomfortable about the topic. You could've refused to talk to me or tried to lie, but you didn't,'' she added.

''Considering how much you knew, I figured it would be better to stay honest,'' Springtrap replied. ''Still, I don't know anymore how I should feel about this.''

''But, you're going to stay, right?'' Sam asked. Springtrap glanced at her, noticing her hopeful look.

''If that's what makes you happy,'' he said.

''You have no idea how much!'' Sam grinned, feeling excited. Springtrap smiled, glad to see her being so happy. He could feel the warmth replacing the hollow feeling once again, realizing he actually made the right choice.

''You know, there's something I would like to do,'' he said, with Sam giving him a curious look. ''I want to try to prove to myself that I'm actually capable of keeping at least one person happy and unharmed.''

''Try to be a little more confident about it,'' Sam said. ''I mean, so far, I'm really happy.''

''However, there is one person who isn't,'' Springtrap replied. ''I have no idea how I should deal with Emma.''

''What exactly did she tell you?'' Sam asked.

''That she was at Freddy's when she was a little girl and that she knows that the rumors a true. I admitted to her that she was right about the assumption that I'm the murderer and she was simply disgusted by that,'' Springtrap said. ''However, as I told you, she said that she trusts your judgement and that she would let me stay because of that.''

''I never knew that she had been at Freddy's,'' Sam said, stunned. ''In any case, you should know that lately, Mum would often tell me that I looked really miserable. I mean, she let me go on my urban explorations as long as I didn't get myself into trouble, since I would be doing something that I enjoyed. She had probably assumed that, if I hated you or was afraid of you, I wouldn't let you stay here.''

''That would explain it,'' Springtrap said. ''She hates me, but as long as you're happy, she's willing to tolerate my presence.''

''Yeah. I'm pretty sure that Mum had already assumed that you would tell me that, which is going to make situation only more awkward. However, I think I can help you a little,'' Sam replied.

''Really?'' Springtrap asked, feeling a little anxious.

''As I told you already, your mindset is in the past. While a confrontation with the past was necessary, as well as your acceptance of it, the main focus should be on what happened the past few days and what will happen from now on,'' Sam explained. ''So far, you haven't done anything wrong, right?''

''Unless you count the fact that I essentially dragged you into Freddy's, threatened you and gave you a good reason not to trust me,'' Springtrap said in a deadpan tone. ''And that was the first day I had returned.''

''I know that,'' Sam said, sighing as she stood up. ''But, you made your choice at that point as well.''

Springtrap had to admit that she was right. The confrontation with his own past was rather painful, but necessary. He couldn't change what he had done or destroy the monster he had become, but he was willing to find another way to live his life, even if he didn't know how long it would last. _How could I even delude myself into believing that everything that happened wasn't important? That I was obsolete?_ His eyes flared purple as he realized something, with him grinning maliciously. _Or maybe, I could take advantage of it? Nobody knows I'm still here. Nobody knows who I am, nor do they know how to stop me. I am free to do what I want._

''Springtrap?'' He looked at Sam, who seemed to be a little unnerved by his sudden change of attitude. He stood up, crossing his arms on his back and looking at her curiously, still grinning. ''What's wrong?''

''Nothing really,'' Springtrap replied. ''I have merely figured out that there are still some issues I need to deal with. Besides, I believe that we still have another mystery to solve.''

''Yeah, we still haven't checked the photos I took at Ricky's,'' Sam said, feeling a little excited, if confused about Springtrap's sudden change of attitude. It was somewhat unsettling to see his eyes suddenly glow purple. She turned to her laptop, finding the file with the photos. ''Here.''

She turned the laptop so Springtrap could see them as well as she scrolled through them. He was mostly interested in the documents about the animatronics. So far, there wasn't anything interesting, at least until Sam reached the file titled ''DECOMMISSIONED''. Sam zoomed in on the drawing of the animatronic on one of the pages. It looked rather skeletal, with a round mask and a beak.

''I haven't seen this animatronic at Ricky's, and I have visited the place ever since it first opened,'' Sam told him. ''Looks like some kind of bird.''

''I guess the animatronic was decommissioned before the location opened,'' Springtrap said, reading the notes on the document, which seemed to be rather scarce. _''Animatronic was deemed unsafe for use. There had been reports that the animatronic had been glitching out. Our technician examined the animatronic, but didn't find any mechanical defects nor malfunctioning AI.''_

''There is a little more to it,'' Sam said, scrolling down, with Springtrap continuing to read the report, the notes being from a later date.

 _''Unfortunately, our technician has deemed the animatronic to be completely unfit for use. Therefore, it will be decommissioned.''_ Springtrap frowned at the next part. _''This character is no longer part of Ricky's Wonder Shack. No further information will be accessible.''_

''So, this animatronic had been retired even before it could make an appearance?'' Sam said. ''Maybe there had been an accident at Ricky's that caused it to be decommissioned.''

''Sounds to me like they want to forget about this character,'' Springtrap said, with Sam shivering. ''Are you okay?''

''I was just wondering what exactly needed to happen that they would want to forget that that an animatronic character exists before they even showed it to the public,'' she replied.

''It could've been an accident that occurred with the animatronic, or maybe something else,'' Springtrap said. ''Does it say anywhere where those animatronics were constructed? A factory, perhaps?''

''Let's see,'' Sam muttered, scrolling through the photos, noticing something on Ricky's file. ''Found it! It seems that the animatronics have been created with the assistance of Machinations Factory.''

''Interesting name,'' Springtrap said. ''Is that supposed to be a wordplay on 'machine' and 'machination'?''

''Maybe,'' Sam said, eyeing him. ''It does have a ring to it.''

''And Afton Robotics doesn't?'' Springtrap sounded a little bitter. Sam just smirked and turned back to the monitor.

''Maybe I can dig out some useful information about the place,'' she said, typing the name of the factory. When the results came up, she was confused that only a few of them were actually related to the factory. There had been one article that caught her attention. ''Seems like it had been shut down a while ago.''

''Does it say why?'' Springtrap asked.

''It says something about faulty equipment and unsatisfied customers, but that's it. They didn't really elaborate on why they decided to shut it down'' Sam replied and opened a map. ''Maybe I can find the address.''

''It is kind of surprising,'' Springtrap said as he observed her while she typed on her laptop. ''Before, people used actual maps and phone books to find an address, but now, you just need a device, like a computer or a phone, that has internet connection.''

''Well, one thing hasn't changed, though,'' Sam replied. ''It doesn't matter how advanced technology is, people still get lost.''

Springtrap chuckled, leaning closer as Sam managed to locate the factory.

''It seems like the factory is outside the town,'' he said as he looked at the map.

''It would take us about 20-30 minutes by car to reach it,'' Sam said. ''There is a problem though. The only car we have is my mum's and I doubt we can just tell her that we plan to visit what appears to be an abandoned factory.''

''Then, what do you suggest we do?'' Springtrap asked her.

''I'm not sure,'' Sam replied. ''Although, I believe that we will figure something out.''

She leaned against the chair, sighing and stretching her arms. Currently, she just wanted to relax a little and think about the whole thing. She glanced at Springtrap, who seemed to be a little lost in his thoughts.

''Sam, don't you think that what's going on is a little strange?''

''What do you mean?'' Sam asked.

''I just have a feeling that there's a lot more to it than we know,'' Springtrap said, then shook his head. ''Or maybe I'm just still stuck in the past.''

''Well, one thing is sure. You are stuck in a rather strange situation,'' Sam said. ''You have returned, free to do what you want, but you still decided to go along with my idea, even if it's not exactly what you want. I think I'd be confused as well.''

''True,'' Springtrap muttered and then grinned, his eyes glowing purple as he looked at Sam. ''Although, I think I may have been on my path on figuring out what I want to do.''

**xXx**

He walked up to the table, playing with his switchblade. The room was quite dark, with a faint light coming from an unknown source, only illuminating enough for him to see what was inside the room. There was silence, disturbed only by the distinct sound of the blade being pulled into the handle and popping out again.

It was rather delightful to mess with the blade, as he enjoyed the thrill to the possibility that he might accidentally cut himself. He liked the idea of playing with his own life, appreciating the fact that he was still here, walking and breathing. It was a wonderful feeling, something he felt that many wouldn't understand. Many took their life for granted, never knowing what they were missing out.

''It is always a thin line between life and death,'' he muttered, placing the switchblade on the desk and supporting it with pieces of metal, the blade facing upwards. ''I want to walk on that line.''

He held his hand over the tip, his fingers twitching, but it wasn't because of fear. He knew exactly what he wanted. He knew that this is what he needed.

He then slowly lowered his hand, pain shooting through his body as he cut through the skin, the meat and the nerves. He grinned, enjoying the pain that surged through his body and ignoring the screams of warning in the back of his head, telling him to stop.

He watched blood flowing down the blade, and he gritted his teeth as he lifted his hand and examined the damage. It was just a flesh wound, a mere cut in his opinion, but it stung in the cold and musty air. Blood was trickling down his arm as he looked at some metallic pieces and wires on the table. He took a piece with his cut hand and let it soak in his blood.

Then, he turned around, observing the mess of wires and metal, all put together into some kind of endoskeleton. It was twitching, as if it was a living creature which had been stripped down to its skeletal remains. There were dark brown and red spots on it, clashing with the silver and grey. He walked over to it, searching for a spot where the metal piece would fit, only for the endoskeleton to start twitching again. He crouched, smiling softly and caressing the metal as if it were just a frightened animal.

''Shhhhhh…''


	9. Carry On

**Night 8**

**Carry On**

_''Animated friends, we'll be here til the end. I don't have the chance to tell you but the others haven't made the cut. Lend me your hand, we've got more than one night planned. Let me crawl into your skin, release the evil within.''_

_– **Crawling** by CG5_

**xXxXxXx**

''Those dolls look really creepy,'' Springtrap said, then pointed at the screen. ''There's the baby bottle.''

''To be honest, I really like it,'' Sam replied, clicking on it, only to hear the sound of a typewriter, accompanied by somber, melancholic music. ''We got the door knob.''

She continued clicking on the screen, going through what looked like an old, abandoned, creepy manor, and moving on to the next puzzle. It was afternoon, with Sam having introduced Springtrap to one of the games she had, _Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst_. Essentially, it was an adventure-puzzle game with a rather interesting storyline. Apparently, Sam was playing as a Master Detective who sent to investigate the Ravenhearst Manor, only to encounter a spirit who begged her to free three more spirits, twin girls and another woman. Their souls were fueling the soul of the madman who brought them into such state, keeping himself somewhat alive. While the story hit a little close to home, Springtrap actually enjoyed it.

''You know, I'd really like to explore an old mansion like Ravenhearst,'' Sam said, after solving the puzzle. ''It doesn't even have to be haunted.''

''Really?'' Springtrap asked. ''I thought you liked exploring abandoned places because they might be haunted.''

''Actually, I'm more fascinated by the idea of what I might find during my urban explorations. There are a lot of untold stories, sometimes waiting to be discovered, or whatever haunts those places to be put to rest,'' Sam explained.

A flash of fire suddenly appeared in front of Springtrap's eyes. He could hear Henry's voice, somewhat muffled, but it was growing louder as he moved on. He was focused on the spreading fire, leaning against the wall. He tried to find a way out, but there was no exit. Each of his steps became weaker and weaker, despite managing to maintain the willpower to continue moving. He wasn't afraid of death, but he wouldn't go down without a fight.

_''And to you monsters trapped in the corridors, be still and give up your spirits. They don't belong to you…''_

''Springtrap!''

Static appeared before his eyes and once it faded, he found himself standing in Sam's room, leaned against the wall. Sam stared back at him in surprise, looking really worried, with Springtrap realizing that she was probably creeped out by his strange behavior.

''Are you okay?'' she asked him. Springtrap nodded.

''There may be some spirits who refuse to be put to rest,'' he said.

''You're one of them, right?'' Sam said.

''What tipped you of?'' Springtrap replied in a deadpan tone, feeling a little better when Sam smiled. The two heard the door downstairs opening, with Sam walking over to the window.

''Mum's back!'' she said, then closed the game and went downstairs.

Springtrap sighed, mentally preparing himself to deal with Emma. Sam had told him that he should focus on the present instead of the past and he decided to follow her advice. As he went down and walked into the living room, Sam and Emma were already discussing their day.

''It was fine,'' Sam said. ''Springtrap and I were playing a game on my laptop.''

''Oh, really?'' Emma glanced at Springtrap.

''Nothing happened,'' he said, only to see Emma glaring at him. He felt anxious, despite knowing that he technically hadn't done anything to warrant this. He did understand that Emma was judging him for what happened in the past and was just trying to make sure her daughter was safe. He knew that he shouldn't anger her and he moved away a little, maintaining a slight distance from both Sam and Emma. The latter, who seemed to be satisfied with him backing away, turned to Sam.

''Remember how I told you yesterday that Adam would pick up the furniture,'' she said, rubbing her temple. ''His car broke down and he called to ask me whether I could pick it up. I already rented a van, but I need you to come with me so I won't have to leave the car there.''

''No problem, I'll just go get my wallet,'' Sam replied, dashing into her room. The moment she was out of sight, Emma turned to Springtrap, who winced.

''I know that you told Sam about what happened last night,'' she said in a hushed tone, frowning. ''I want you to know that, even if I'm not here, if I find out that you hurt my daughter or made her miserable in any way, you are done for. You won't be safe anywhere, mark my words.''

''No.'' Springtrap stared back at her, his eyes flaring purple. ''I would never hurt the only person who gave me a chance and who sees me as more than just a murderer.''

Emma wasn't scared at all, but looked resolute. Springtrap was actually unnerved that he even rose his voice in Emma's presence, but he stared back at her with the same determined expression. Despite feeling anxious, he knew he couldn't back away. He didn't even know what he was trying to prove, but he felt that he needed to stand his ground.

Before they could continue, they heard Sam coming down and glanced at her, with Sam giving them a confused look. Emma smiled, as if nothing happened.

''Just wait a little, I still need to get some stuff,'' she said, walking past Sam and going upstairs. Sam looked at Springtrap with a questioning look. He shook his head.

''I'm quite sure that Emma will tell you what's going on,'' he told her. Sam sighed.

''I wonder how long this will last,'' she said.

''How long do you want it to last?'' Springtrap asked her. Sam didn't seem to have an answer. The two waited in silence until Emma came down, holding a suitcase.

''Let's go,'' she told Sam, who nodded, with the two walking to the entrance. Emma then stopped, bit her lip, and then turned back to Springtrap.

''Do me a favor, and don't burn down the house while I'm gone,'' she said, with the animatronic staring back at her, stunned. He glanced at Sam, who just shrugged, seemingly having no idea how to respond to that. She then followed her mother to the car. As Emma was pulling out of the driveway, Sam glanced back at the house, seeing Springtrap in the window.

The look he gave her was that of someone confused and lost.

**xXx**

Sam stared through the window, watching as they were passing streets. It wasn't her first time that she went with her mother to this rental place, although she did notice that Emma took the longer way. Sam suddenly realized that there was another reason why Emma wanted her to come. She looked at her mother, knowing that Emma was taking advantage of this situation to talk to her without having Springtrap around.

''I am aware that Springtrap told you about our argument,'' Emma said, briefly glancing at her daughter. Her tone was calm, if not a little dismissive, with Sam having the feeling as if she was talking about the weather. However, she knew that her mother was dead serious about the subject. ''Why did you even think that this was a good idea?''

''I just wanted to give him a chance to prove himself,'' Sam said. She knew that there was no point in arguing with her mother or lying to her. ''He told me that his soul was brought back from Hell, but he had no idea what to do, so I offered him my help. So far, he hadn't done anything wrong and he did prove that he was trustworthy.''

''Honestly, I'm not very confident in this situation, sweetie,'' Emma said in a worried tone, glancing at her. ''All I want you is to be safe.''

''I promise that I will stay safe,'' Sam replied. Emma rolled her eyes.

''Sam, you're not the one who should make such a promise, but rather your friend,'' she replied, then fell silent, with Sam wondering whether something was wrong. ''I am not entirely convinced by what he told me, but I am willing to give him a chance.''

''Really?'' Sam was genuinely surprised. She didn't even expect that her mother would trust Springtrap to that extent, but she then realized that there was probably a catch. She assumed that Springtrap told her mother something that made her decide to tolerate him, but it certainly didn't change her opinion of him and she would probably attempt to incinerate him the moment he gives her a reason to do that. Still, Sam was content with the result.

''Just promise me you won't bring another haunted animatronic back home,'' Emma said in a serious tone, with Sam stifling a chuckle.

''Don't worry, I won't,'' Sam replied. ''To be honest, I didn't really think I would give him a chance either, but I still did. However, there is something that I'm curious about.''

''What is it, sweetheart?'' Emma asked.

''You didn't really freak out when I introduced you to Springtrap. I mean, you didn't know his real identity, but still, I brought a sentient animatronic back home,'' Sam said.

''I had a good reason for that. Ignoring the fact that you were obviously nervous about introducing your new friend, you were actually quite relaxed and calm, so I figured that there was no immediate danger,'' Emma replied, then took a deep breath. ''Sam, I really want you to be happy, but your safety is even more important. Keep that in mind.''

''I know,'' Sam said, feeling a little less anxious about the conversation.

''Also, you could tell your friend to not freak out so much,'' Emma added in a relaxed tone. ''I'm not that intimidating.''

''He doesn't think so,'' Sam said, a little amused. Emma shrugged.

''I guess that means that I made a memorable first impression on him, then,'' she said. ''But, seriously, if he tries to do anything wrong, he should be aware that there is a reason why he should be afraid of me.''

''I doubt that that will help his case. He's still paranoid whenever you are around,'' Sam replied as they parked next to the building where Emma rented the van. They got out, with Emma taking the suitcase.

''Anyways, I will be back by tomorrow or maybe the day after,'' she told Sam. ''If you plan to go somewhere, please make sure you won't get yourself into trouble. I don't want to come back home only to learn that you have disappeared without a trace. If something happens, give me a call and I'll be back as soon as I can.''

''Okay,'' Sam replied, as she opened the door to the driver's seat.

''Also, there's one more thing,'' Emma said, drawing her attention, with Sam noticing serious expression. ''I wasn't joking about you bringing another haunted animatronic home. I understand that you're now curious about Freddy's, but I don't want you to become another victim of that place.''

''Mum, how much do you know about Freddy's?'' Sam asked. Emma sighed, looking away.

''Everything I know about it is a good reason for me to forbid you to investigate the place and its past,'' Emma replied. ''However, I also understand that, by forcing you to stop investigating, I will only do more harm than good, so all I can hope for you is that you know how to handle yourself whenever you decide to go there.''

''Mum, I don't want to go looking for trouble,'' Sam protested.

''But, as it seems, trouble somehow manages to find you,'' Emma replied. ''I trust you, okay?''

''Okay,'' Sam nodded, waving goodbye as her mother walked away. As she started to drive back home, she realized that things could've easily gone very wrong. She, but more importantly Springtrap, were both on thin ice.

**xXx**

_''This ends for all of us. End communication.''_

Fire had spread through the building, the smoke making hard to see anything. Whoever was caught inside would be burned to ashes. There was no escape and the only salvation for them was for their souls to be finally freed from their metal prison.

_This is not the salvation I want._

He knew that Henry had been right and that Hell would await him. He didn't care anymore. Despite the pain he went through when he lost his family, the agony he went through when he got himself killed and the terror that he went through when his soul finally abandoned the animatronic, he felt that there was really nothing left for him. Even his own identity didn't mean much to him.

_However, something has changed._

Springtrap opened his eyes when he heard the car outside. He sat up, as he had been lying on the couch in the living room and thinking about the fire that Henry and Michael caused, and went over to the hallway. He wasn't even aware of how anxious he was until the relief of seeing Sam being back washed over him.

''So, now what are we going to do?'' he asked.

''There are a few things we need to talk about,'' Sam replied. Springtrap noted the bad feeling he had as he sat on the couch, with Sam sitting next to him.

''What did Emma say?'' he asked.

''She doesn't trust you at all, but she is willing to give you a chance,'' Sam replied, with Springtrap looking surprised, if not even relieved. However, it didn't last long.

''She has a good reason not to trust me and so do you,'' he said. ''Still, if you two are going to give me a chance, I'm not going to waste it.''

''You did seem to have made an impression on her if she is willing to do that, even if her main reason is my happiness,'' Sam said.

''You know, after she sent you upstairs, we had a brief argument. She warned me that I would regret hurting you or making you miserable, and I told her that I would never do that, especially not to someone, well…'' Springtrap trailed off. ''Maybe that's why she told you she's willing to give me a chance.''

''Probably,'' Sam muttered, then looked at him. ''What exactly did you tell her?''

Springtrap looked a little hesitant.

''I meant to say that you're someone who sees me as more than just a murderer,'' he finally said.

''Considering that you have accepted a life as a haunted animatronic bunny, as well as showing that you are willing to be honest with me about your past, I think that there's a lot more to you than you or I think,'' Sam said. Springtrap grinned.

''Thanks, I appreciate your support,'' he said.

''I'm just glad to have someone who wants to listen to me,'' Sam replied. ''We're together in this situation.''

Springtrap had to agree with her, and even felt a little confident in that he would be able to deal with this situation. However, there was still something that was bothering him.

''Do you know what Emma meant when she told me not to burn down the house?'' he asked, confused when he saw Sam grinning.

''This has nothing to do with you, or the fact that you were involved in at least two fires,'' she explained. ''Ever since I was old enough to be left alone at home, she made it a habit to tell me not to burn the house down or something similar. It was basically her way of saying that I'm now responsible for keeping the house in order.''

''I see,'' Springtrap muttered, realizing something. ''So, would that mean that I'm now responsible for your safety. I can accept that.''

''To me, it sounds more like you're searching for an excuse to spend more time with me,'' Sam replied, with Springtrap giving her a sheepish look and then lowering his head.

''Considering you're the only person who is willing to talk to me, it's not like I have much of a choice… no offense!'' Springtrap added hastily, only for Sam to shake her head.

''None taken. I understand how you feel,'' she replied, with Springtrap feeling glad about it, sensing the warmth spreading through his chest. ''Anyways, we should visit the Machinations Factory.''

''Hopefully, we will find something related to what's currently going on,'' Springtrap said.

**xXx**

''You know, I could drive if you want.''

It was late evening, with Sam and Springtrap being inside the car. Sam was messing with her phone, entering the address of the factory. She then lifted her head, rising an eyebrow.

''You should be happy that I let you sit in the front seat instead of the backseat,'' she said. ''Hopefully, we won't be stopped by a cop or something like that.''

''Even if we do, we can just tell them I'm a guy in a costume. It's technically the truth,'' Springtrap said as Sam pulled out of the driveway. ''There shouldn't be any problems.''

''Actually, there might be one problem with that statement,'' Sam replied. ''There is no body, be it alive or a corpse, inside the suit, only a soul.''

''Still, this is who I am,'' Springtrap said, shrugging.

''I don't have a problem with that,'' Sam replied, glancing at the radio and turning it on, switching over to the music player, with Springtrap noticing the USB being stuck beneath the radio. When the music suddenly started to play, Springtrap was a little startled by the fact that it sounded like a child was singing it, at least until he realized that it was just high-pitched. Not to mention, the lyrics were in a different language and the song overall sounded quite ominous.

 _''Quantus tremor est futurus, quando Judex est venturus._ _Quantus tremor est futurus, quando Judex est venturus.''_

He looked at the display, which featured the title of the song, _City of the Dead – Eurielle (Nighcore)_.

_''Damnata, invisus, ubique ab omnibus, ad infinitum! Rex tremendae majestatis, qui salvandos salvas gratis, salve me, Fons Pietatis, salve me, Fons Pietatis…''_

Sam glanced at him, noticing the confused look he gave her.

''Mum and I have downloaded both of our favorite music on the USB. _City of the Dead_ was her pick,'' Sam explained. ''The lyrics you heard are in Latin and, if I remember correctly, they say: _Man will tremble in fear, when the Judge descends. Condemned, hated everywhere, for all eternity. King of tremendous majesty, who freely saves, save me, fount of mercy, save me, fount of mercy._ ''

''I see,'' Springtrap muttered. ''Although, my soul is beyond salvation, as it had already been condemned.''

''That may be true, but you can still do something to at least suffer less,'' Sam said, with Springtrap giving her a curious look. Still, he didn't press the issue.

''So, what kind of music do you like?'' he asked. Sam just pointed at the radio, with Springtrap understanding what she meant and switching from one song to another.

''That's it!'' Sam said suddenly, with Springtrap glancing at the display, which read _The Last Night – Skillet._

_''You come to me with scars on your wrist. You tell me this will be the last night feeling like this.''_

_''I just came to say goodbye, didn't want you to see me cry, I'm fine…''_

_''But I know it's a lie!_ _This is the last night you'll spend alone! Look me in the eyes so I know you know I'm everywhere you want me to be! The last night you'll spend alone, I'll wrap you in my arms and I won't let go, I'm everything you need me to be!''_

''It's not bad,'' Springtrap said. ''I like your choice of music.''

''Thanks!'' Sam replied. ''Skillet is my favorite band and, to be honest, it really helped me whenever I felt depressed.''

Springtrap looked curiously at her, knowing well that there had been a period of time when Sam seemed to be at her lowest. He had to wonder just how bad it was, especially considering how all it took to cheer her up was his presence.

_''Your parents say everything is your fault, but they don't know you like I know you, they don't know you at all.''_

''Sam, would you mind if you told me what exactly happened that made you feel so miserable?'' he asked in a gentle tone.

_''I'm so sick of when they say 'It's just a phase, you'll be OK, you're fine'!''_

He felt a little concerned when she didn't answer, but instead just stared ahead as they stopped at a red light. He feared that he might make her cry or lash out at him.

_''But I know it's a lie! This is the last night you'll spend alone…''_

''I…'' Sam sighed. ''I currently don't want to talk about it.''

''What about that promise we made to each other? If there's a problem, we can talk it out,'' Springtrap said. The red light turned to green, with Sam driving away.

''I know,'' she said. ''I actually do want to talk about it, but...'' She shook her head and took a deep breath. ''I wanted to say I don't feel comfortable talking about what happened, but that just makes me sound like a hypocrite, doesn't it? Especially since you did talk about your past, even though you hated it.''

_''…The night is so long when everything's wrong, if you give me your hand I will help you hold on, tonight! Tonight!''_

''I wouldn't say that you're a hypocrite,'' Springtrap replied. ''Technically, I've been exploiting you as my therapist.''

Sam smiled.

''I think we both need some kind of therapy,'' she said. ''Although, things don't seem to be that bad, right?''

''True. You know, you can talk to me whenever you feel comfortable. I'm still here,'' Springtrap replied. Sam briefly glanced at him, beaming. He felt glad about it, figuring that both still had a lot to discuss. Nevertheless, they had time, now that he wasn't going to leave her.

_''…I won't let you say goodbye and I'll be your reason why, the last night away from me, away from me.''_

They were now out of the town, with Sam briefly checking on her smartphone if they were on the right road. So far, they were going in the right direction. Springtrap looked at the dark landscape, which was illuminated by scarcely placed lamp posts. It was rather calm, with only an occasional car passing by them.

_''They have sent you a letter to come back home to play, but to your dismay this isn't your day for the happy fun time has begun to fade. Watch as we reanimate our corpses you abandoned, we're dismantled, we're mishandled, but we won't be skipped and swayed…''_

The upbeat music and the strange lyrics, along with Sam humming along, caused Springtrap to look down at the display, which now said _Build Our Machine – DAGames (Bendy and The Ink Machine)_.

_''…I am alive! Immortalized! You're the creator! You traitor! Hey! There's no vaccine to cure our dirty needs, for now you must build up our machine, you die tonight!''_

''Sam?'' He gave her a confused look. Sam, who seemed to be in a much better mood considering how she was singing along and bobbing her head, gave him a sheepish grin.

''I had recently found some songs based on video games,'' she explained. ''It's really catchy, isn't it?''

''Indeed it is,'' Springtrap said, now curious. _So, Bendy and the Ink Machine is a video game? What are the odds that there is also a song based on Five Nights at Freddy's?_

''You know, music also helps me to relax,'' Sam added.

''So, you want to say that you need to listen to music while you're driving?'' Springtrap asked. ''You're not that bad of a driver.''

''First, thank you. Second, I never claimed that. I just said that I feel more relaxed when I listen to music,'' Sam replied, pouting. ''Although, to be honest, when I first sat behind the wheel, I hated it.''

''What happened?'' Springtrap asked her, with Sam sighing.

''After I turned 16, and speaking of which, I'm turning 17 this summer,'' she said, ''my parents decided that it would be a good idea for me to finally take driving lessons. Well, the problem was that I was a complete wreck, as I feared that I would crash the car into something or someone. Dad figured out that I needed to relax, so he thought it would be a good idea to take me out to an empty road and tell me to go full speed ahead, despite the fact that I cried, screamed and absolutely refused to go anywhere above the speed limit. And that was before I even started the car.''

''Sounds like a complete disaster,'' Springtrap said, feeling bad for her.

''Yeah,'' Sam muttered. ''When I told Mum what happened, she took me to an empty parking lot, exited the car and told me to drive around until I felt that I was confident enough to drive on a road while dealing with other drivers. In the end, their lessons worked out.''

''I'm glad about that, but still, wouldn't it be better idea to just let me drive?'' Springtrap asked slyly.

''Keep on dreaming,'' Sam said in a dry tone, but she still sounded amused.

After some time passed, they finally saw a building ahead, realizing that they arrived at their destination. Sam parked the car a little further, making sure that it won't be spotted so easily. As they exited it, Springtrap stared at the building. It was surrounded by a fence and didn't look particularly memorable. There was a sign above the entrance, reading _Machinations Factory_ , but it was old and the paint was faded and chipped. Sam took a flashlight out of her bag and they walked over to the fence, noticing a heavy lock with a chain around it.

''Looks quite rusty,'' Sam said, then looked past the fence. ''It didn't say when it closed, but I guess that it might've been after they finished building the animatronics. Should it even look like this?''

''I'm not sure,'' Springtrap said. ''However, we can't get inside this way. We need to find another way in.''

They walked around the fence, Sam being a little anxious about being spotted. However, all she saw were some trees and the road. There were houses in the distance, but it didn't look like someone would see them. She looked around curiously, wondering if they were really alone.

''I think I found something,'' Springtrap said, with Sam joining him. He pointed at a part of the fence behind the building. It looked like a gate at first, until Sam realized that someone cut through the wire and made a makeshift gate. It was also big enough for an average human to pass through it and it was locked by a rusty chain, but when Springtrap tugged on it, they realized that they could easily take it off.

''Someone was here,'' Springtrap said, taking the chain off.

''Do you think they're still here?'' Sam asked him, with Springtrap shrugging and giving her a questioning look. She nodded. ''We're going in regardless. Someone is hiding something and I believe it would be worth to investigate whatever it is.''

Springtrap opened the gate and both of them went through it. He then wrapped the chains loosely around it, making it look as if they hadn't been disturbed. Now, they were inside the yard, looking for an entrance. While Sam knew that they could try any of the entrances, she had already assumed that they were locked, even if there was someone who came here and unlocked them. She looked at the windows, but they were too high for her to reach.

''Sam-'' She turned to Springtrap, who found a wooden crate and some metallic pieces nobody bothered to clean up. She joined him, only to see that something was behind it and helped Springtrap with moving it away. Once it was cleared, it became obvious that the trash was hiding a huge air-vent.

''You have to be kidding me,'' Sam said in a deadpan tone.

''I guess we found our way in,'' Springtrap said, crouching down. Not only was it big enough for Sam, but it was also big enough for him to crawl through it. ''I guess Fazbear's Fright wasn't the only location where nobody expected an animatronic to crawl through the air-vents.''

''Only that we have no idea where it would lead us,'' Sam said, pointing the flashlight at the air-vents. Springtrap tugged at the grille, trying to remove it, but it seemed to be screwed shut. ''Maybe we should…''

She trailed off when, after a good shake and another strong tug, the screws fell off. Springtrap placed the grille on the ground, making sure he wouldn't make any loud noise.

''Either someone used the same way inside or they did a really bad job on maintaining their stuff,'' he said, glancing at Sam, who crouched next to him. ''Something happened here.''

''Yeah,'' Sam muttered, pointing her flashlight at the air-vent. ''Let's just check this place and then leave as soon as possible.''

She then crawled inside, with Springtrap following her, but not before turning around and leaning the grille against the entrance, so it would be obscured. For a while, it was just a long pathway, with Sam noticing that it wasn't as dusty as she expected it to be. Soon, they arrived at a fork. Sam pointed at both sides, noticing something gleaming at the right side and went towards it. She then realized that it was another grille and carefully grabbed it. She winced when it fell over, the clanking echoing through the building.

''I didn't want to do that,'' she hissed apologetically, glancing at Springtrap. He shook his head, not looking particularly disturbed by this.

''It's over now,'' he said, waving for her to go forward. Sam turned back and exited the air-vent, followed by Springtrap, who placed the grille back. As they dusted themselves, Sam noticed that they were in a small, empty room. The only thing that was inside it were some metal pieces and machine parts. They went to the door, which led to a long hallway. They looked at both sides, wondering which path to take. Sam noticed Springtrap looking at her, realizing that he expected her to take the lead.

 _After all, this was my idea._ She didn't look particularly happy with that, but still took a path, with Springtrap following her. She illuminated every bit of the corridor, noticing something.

''Remember how I told you that I have been at several abandoned places. Well, they had a few similarities, but this one looks a little strange,'' Sam said.

''What do you mean?'' Springtrap asked her.

''There are no signs of vandalism,'' Sam replied. ''Most of the other places I had been at had graffiti sprayed on them or there was trash left there. This one looks too clean.''

''So, either this place has a night guard, or there is another reason why it looks like this,'' Springtrap said. He frowned, his eyes flashing purple. ''We're not alone.''

''I have to agree,'' Sam said. ''Someone might've come here a few times, enough to make their own gate and loose the grilles on the air-vents.''

''Not to mention, they made sure that nobody finds out about it,'' Springtrap said.

As they made their way through the building, they noticed that it was indeed empty. So far, it seemed like they were the only ones inside. Springtrap couldn't help but be a little reminded of his own factory, especially after entering a huge room which featured a conveyor belt, with some robotic parts still strewn over it.

''They didn't bother to clean up,'' he said, picking up what seemed to be a battery. _It has been so long…_

''Will…'' He turned to Sam, who gave him a sympathetic look. ''If you want, I could later look up what happened to Afton Robotics.''

''No, it's fine,'' he said, shaking his head. ''I don't need to know.''

''If you say so…'' Springtrap noticed that Sam still looked a little concerned. He was actually thankful that she was worried about him, but he felt that this was something that she shouldn't be bothered with. _Who would've thought that building a machine would end up with such disastrous results?_

He opened his hand, only to see that the battery was replaced by a wrench. He looked up, noticing a robot taller than him, gleaming in the dim light. The animatronic was gripping a silver microphone, having a wide smile on its expression. _She is perfect._

He stepped back, the hallucination fading. He saw Sam next to him, with her looking quite worried.

''Are you okay?'' she asked.

''I am,'' he said, despite not feeling well. ''I just need to figure out how to get rid off those hallucinations.''

He then placed the battery back on the conveyor belt, with him and Sam continuing to look around. As they moved on, they found more machinery and animatronic parts, some of them being discarded arms, legs or even a torso. Sam managed to discover a torn and filthy blue animatronic suit.

''It looks like they had just left, without cleaning up or storing anything,'' Sam said.

''Maybe something happened that caused them to abandon everything,'' Springtrap told her. ''Also, there are just parts, but there are no finished endoskeletons.''

Suddenly, they heard screeching, followed by a scraping sound, as if something heavy was dragging itself across the floor. The two glanced at each other, wondering what to do. However, in the next moment, they both came to the same decision and followed the sound. They entered another corridor, the scraping sounds leading them to a room. Springtrap opened it, peeking inside. It looked like some kind of workshop, albeit it was devoid of any tools. There were animatronic pieces on the ground, though. Suddenly, there was another screech, following by scraping sounds. Springtrap entered the room, seeing a figure in the corner. Approaching it, he realized that it was an active endoskeleton, its eyes glowing in the dark. When Sam pointed the flashlight at it, they saw that it was around the same height as Springtrap, if a little shorter, with black wires running across the endoskeleton, which looked rather generic. Aside from being a little dusty, it seemed to be quite clean, if not new.

As Springtrap crouched next to it, he noticed that something was wrong with it. It didn't look like the endoskeletons he had seen at Freddy's nor like those his own company had created, but he still knew enough about robotics to see that there was something amiss. It felt as if it was half-finished, despite being active. When Springtrap reached towards it, the animatronic suddenly rose its arm and in a swift, but rigid movement scraped across the floor again.

''I guess that this would explain why people would avoid this building,'' Sam said, observing Springtrap as he examined the animatronic. ''Do you think that it is haunted?''

''No, it doesn't seem to be. However, it is quite poorly constructed,'' Springtrap replied, glancing back at Sam and noticing the look of relief on her expression. He was also glad about that, as the last thing they needed was another haunted animatronic. ''Sam, could you please move a little closer? I want to show you something.''

''Sure,'' Sam muttered, crouching next to Springtrap and pointing the flashlight at the strange endoskeleton. The animatronic started to twitch, attempting to rise its arm and legs, but couldn't. Springtrap observed its movement, realizing what was bothering him.

''Whoever created it did a mediocre job,'' he said, gently touching and lifting the endoskeleton's arm. ''I assume you covered the topic of human anatomy in school, right?''

''Yeah.'' Sam nodded and looked at what Springtrap showed her.

''Animatronic endoskeletons tend to be similar to human skeletons. When you build them, you make sure they don't do something a human skeleton can't,'' he explained, pointing at the elbow. ''See this? This part is supposed to move, but if you look under it, you'll see that someone blocked it with this piece. It is as if you broke your bone and ligaments, and they grew back into a mess, making you unable to bend your elbow.'' He then pointed at the endoskeleton's legs. ''Look at the knees as well, it's the same thing. No matter how you move them, they won't bend either.''

''I understand,'' Sam said. ''You said that whoever build this endoskeleton did a poor job, but could it be that they build it this way on purpose? I mean, what if they did that to make sure it won't escape?''

''It is possible,'' Springtrap muttered. The animatronic trembled and twitched as he put the arm down. Springtrap stared at it, feeling a little strange. He couldn't help but feel pity for this miserable creation. The animatronic twitched again, unable to lift its head or even move it. It was just a robot, with no soul inside it, but still, Springtrap was perplexed by what he felt about what he was seeing. _Does it hurt?_

''William, are you okay?'' He looked at Sam, who had a look that was a mix of worry and sympathy. It seemed that she understood what was going through his head. He gave her an assuring gaze.

''It seems like it's suffering,'' he said, pointing at the endoskeleton.

''I guess this must feel like an insult to someone who also created animatronics,'' Sam said. ''Especially since, despite the fact that those animatronics were dangerous, they were still something you were proud of.''

''You're right,'' Springtrap replied, wincing when the endoskeleton scraped across the floor again. He realized that he couldn't leave it like this. Instead, he reached for the wires, finding those connected to the endoskeleton's battery and yanked them out, putting the animatronic out of its misery. The eyes stopped to glow and the endoskeleton went still. He stared at it, sighing. ''You know, even if they weren't haunted, I always had that feeling that the animatronics were in some way alive. I got a confirmation once my own soul became attached to this suit, as I could feel sometimes the Spring Bonnie AI trying to take over, but I would always overpower it. After some time, I barely even noticed his presence.''

''It must've been quite baffling to discover that,'' Sam said, with Springtrap nodding. She glanced back at the endoskeleton. ''Still, who would create an animatronic like this?''

''I think that the actual question is why such an animatronic had even been created,'' Springtrap replied, standing up. ''We should leave. Maybe there are more animatronics like this one.''

Sam followed him into the hallway, with them searching for another room. The silence was unnerving, with Sam feeling that even her own steps were too loud. She froze when she suddenly heard a different kind of steps, becoming louder and louder. In panic, she turned her flashlight off, with Springtrap's purple glowing eyes being the only thing that illuminated the corridor. The steps became louder, but they didn't sound like they belonged to a robot.

Sam suddenly felt Springtrap grabbing her arm and pulling her towards another room, quickly closing the door behind them. The room was small, probably a janitor's closet, but it was still large enough to fit them both. Feeling fear creeping through her body, Sam gripped Springtrap's hand and stood closer to him, the soft green-golden fur brushing against her cheek. She listened to the steps, being startled when she heard the scraping sounds again. She didn't know whether whoever was there was close to them, as she was unable to figure out where the noise was coming from. It sounded like it was close, but that didn't seem to be the case.

She glanced at Springtrap, who gave her a determined look. She nodded. _We're leaving. Now._

Once the sounds grew quiet, they quickly exited the room and went towards where the air-vent had been. Luckily, they didn't encounter anyone and were soon outside the building. Sam was thankful for the cool, fresh air, breathing deeply, while Springtrap quickly put the grille back.

''What was that?'' she asked as they went through the gate and walked towards the car.

''Either an animatronic or the one responsible for this mess,'' Springtrap replied. The two sat in the car, with Sam starting it and driving away. She glanced at the animatronic bunny, noticing the crestfallen look on his expression.

''What's wrong?'' she asked.

''I shouldn't have tampered with the endoskeleton,'' he replied. ''We weren't alone there, and now that person is aware of our presence.''

''To be honest, I do think you did the right thing by deactivating the endoskeleton,'' Sam said. Springtrap shook his head.

''It doesn't matter,'' he said, leaning back and looking through the window. ''Whoever created it will carry on with whatever they were planning to do.''

''Maybe,'' Sam muttered, drawing Springtrap's attention. ''But that shouldn't stop us from continuing to investigate.''

Springtrap smiled, nodding.

''You're right,'' he said. He noticed that Sam was tired, but she still seemed to be determined to carry on and try to solve this mystery. _We have just begun._

''Also, thanks for the lesson on animatronics,'' Sam added.

''If you want, I could teach you more,'' Springtrap replied, noticing the excited look on Sam's expression. Even if they didn't discover much, he realized that both were still satisfied with the results. He was simply glad that she was content with their little exploration and was aware that he would be looking forward to more of this.

As they passed houses and roads, Springtrap found himself staring through the window at the night sky, feeling tired, but unable to fall asleep. Glancing at Sam, he noticed that she was messing with the radio again, until she selected a song titled _Carry On Wayward Son – Kansas, cover by Neoni (Supernatural)_.

_''Once I rose above the noise and confusion, just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion. I was soaring ever higher, but I flew too high.''_

He looked back through the window, the serene music lulling him into a sense of security and comfort. Somehow, it felt as if a little bit of burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

''Sam?''

''What is it, Springtrap?''

_''Though my eyes could see, I still was a blind man. Though my mind could think, I still was a mad man. I hear the voices when I'm dreaming, I can hear them say-''_

''Honestly, I don't care whether my soul is beyond salvation, nor do I care why I was brought back,'' Springtrap said, looking at Sam. ''I'm just glad that I met you.''

''I'm also glad that I met you,'' Sam replied, smiling. Springtrap nodded, the void inside him vanishing, replaced by a warm feeling of comfort and closure.

_''Carry on my wayward son, there'll be peace when you are done. Lay your weary head to rest, don't you cry no more…''_


	10. Salvage Dreams

**Night 9**

**Salvage Dreams**

_''What is point of creation? No answer, only nightmares. Cold and lifeless iron death cells, seems we have hearts inside us. Maybe I will scare you too much; Please, I really need to know why. Vicious circle all around me, we can't keep this scary old lie. My old scene, it beckons me, but should we freeze our lives forever, or you'll embrace us all together, to get us all free in the flame.''_

_– **Salvage Dreams** by MiaRissyTV ft. Cheshire_

**xXxXxXx**

Sam leaned against the pillow, feeling tired as she checked some notifications on her smartphone. It was late evening, with her and Springtrap having returned home from their investigation at the factory. The animatronic in question was sitting on the other end of her bed, looking just as tired as she was, but also somewhat content.

''So, I guess we have another mystery at our hands,'' Sam said, glancing at Springtrap.

''I'm pretty sure that this mystery is connected to what happened at Ricky's,'' Springtrap replied.

''Speaking of which, we know that a man, a night guard, had been murdered at Ricky's and left at Freddy's,'' Sam said. ''We also know that whoever killed him made sure nobody would find out about it.''

''We also know that someone constructed that animatronic, maybe more, at the factory, but we don't know why,'' Springtrap added. ''There is a possibility that it was the same person, someone who has an interest in robots. Perhaps, they were caught by the night guard doing something which they wanted to keep secret and that is why the night guard had to die.''

''Maybe, but we have no idea what our culprit had done,'' Sam said. ''Also, leaving the body at Freddy's was a smart move, considering how infamous Freddy's is for missing people cases and murders.'' She bit her lip. ''You know, I think this is less about damaging the reputation of a rival company and perhaps more personal, with Freddy's being the scapegoat.''

''The question remains, who would do that and why,'' Springtrap said, frowning. He could still see the twitching endoskeleton and the pleading look it gave him. _It wasn't made to kill._

''Do you think that someone is trying to recreate the haunted animatronics?'' Sam asked. Springtrap shrugged.

''Why don't you check the news for any missing children?'' he asked, half-jokingly. It was merely a suggestion, but Sam instantly checked her smartphone, looking at the local news.

''There's nothing. Just a car accident and a burglary on the other side of the town,'' she said. ''There are no reported kidnappings or missing people cases.''

''I see. Even if the night guard's death was covered, a missing child wouldn't go unnoticed,'' Springtrap said, feeling a little frustrated. _What exactly is going on?_

''I think you were right about the theory that the night guard might've been killed because he was at the wrong place at the wrong time,'' Sam said. ''However, whether the animatronic we saw had anything to do with it, we don't know.''

''Maybe it does,'' Springtrap said. ''I'm not saying that someone would try to recreate a haunted animatronic, but it was sure created with some kind of function.''

''Who knows,'' Sam sighed. ''I think we should figure out tomorrow what to do next.''

''So, I guess my Five Nights trial is over, right?'' Springtrap asked, giving Sam a curious look. ''Unless you want to add an extra Night.''

''As long as you're here, I don't think those Five Nights will ever end,'' Sam replied, noticing Springtrap's sly expression.

''Well, perhaps I could start my own trial with you,'' Springtrap said, his eyes glowing in a very faint purple. The glow faded, however, when he saw how reluctant Sam was. He actually wanted to let her know that he was just messing with her, and was surprised when she nodded. He sat closer to her, noticing the empty stare she had. ''What happened?''

Sam took a deep breath, speaking in a heavy, bitter tone.

''Remember what I told you about my former friends?'' She looked at Springtrap, who nodded. ''Even though I ghosted them, they were still trying to be a part of my life. I had to endure two years straight of them switching between being my best friends and being bullies. That was two years of psychological torture, where they would switch between trying to be nice and friendly and calling me a horrible person and blaming me for everything that went wrong.''

''That's incredibly cruel,'' Springtrap muttered, torn between trying to comfort her and letting her have some of her own space. One thing he hated about himself was that, despite what he said, he had some trouble connecting with people on an emotional level. He understood how Sam felt and what she was going through, but he felt he lacked the empathy any other decent human being would feel in such situation.

''They would get more aggressive the more I ignored them,'' Sam continued, with Springtrap noticing that her eyes were sparkling. ''Instead of kicking and punching me, they would send me messages over social media or something similar. Then, there was this…'' She trailed off, choking up. Her eyes were tearing, with her wiping them away.

''Sam?'' Springtrap lifted his hand, wanting to place it on her shoulder in a comforting manner, but something stopped him. Sam shook her head.

''They set me up with this older guy. It was supposed to be some kind of prank,'' she said, clenching her fists and shaking. ''I had no idea what was going on. I had no idea who he was. All I knew was that a stranger appeared in front of my door, while it was evening and I was home alone, screaming at me for standing him up and threatening me for lying to him. I was so scared…''

Tears were flowing down her cheeks, with her gasping and wiping them away. Springtrap wished he could do more for her. Rage was growing inside him at the thought of seeing Sam suffer like this.

''He believed I was in on the prank, even though I told him I had no idea what he was talking about. Luckily, I managed to lock the door, because he attempted to break in and show me why people shouldn't mess with him. I-I thought I was going to get h-hurt or worse,'' she added. ''The next day, a girl in my class told me how someone made a fake profile of me and catfished the guy. I had deleted all of my social media before that, so I had no idea what was going on. Nobody knew who did that, but I already had an idea. However, nothing could be p-proven, since they had already d-deleted the fake profile.''

She broke down crying.

''Sam,'' Springtrap muttered, reaching for her shoulder, only to look back in shock when she recoiled from his touch. ''Sam, I'm sorry.''

''No, it's not you…'' Sam shook her head, wiping her tears and taking a deep breath. ''I'm such an idiot.''

''No, you're not,'' Springtrap told her, only to be cut off by Sam.

''Yes, I am,'' Sam replied in a firm tone. ''I knew how toxic they were and despite that, I felt that I needed to be part of that group. There were times I blamed myself, thinking I was indeed somehow at fault and that I was a horrible person.''

''Sam, you're in no way a horrible person nor an idiot,'' Springtrap told her in a calm, comforting tone. ''You simply wanted support, but instead had to go through something horrible that scarred you.''

''To be honest, I have struggled with low self-esteem and anxiety, and even depression, after I ghosted my friends. I did tell myself that I could do better, but I only found myself locking up in my room more and more,'' Sam said. ''I didn't want to go out anymore because I was afraid. I felt that I couldn't trust people anymore, even though I really wanted to trust someone. I managed to somehow reconstruct my life and went out, bit by bit, but sometimes, I would still hear their voices, telling me how selfish I was or that I did something that made everyone hate me.'' She took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. ''I knew I needed to move on, and I figured I would be better off without any friends than having even one toxic friend.''

''You sure felt incredibly lonely,'' Springtrap muttered, with Sam nodding. He sighed. ''Sam, I don't think you're better off with me as your friend.'' He noticed her questioning look. ''You know what I did to my only friend, to Henry.''

''Yeah,'' Sam said in a quiet tone. ''That went far beyond petty pranks.''

''You know, lately I have been wondering what Henry might think about this whole thing,'' Springtrap said.

''I think he'd probably try to incinerate you again,'' Sam said. Springtrap lowered his head, chuckling softly, and looked at Sam with a smug expression.

''True,'' he said, his eyes glowing purple. ''Still, I have returned, despite all of Henry's efforts.''

He saw Sam's unnerved look as she stared back at him. She looked a little pale and was still shaking. Springtrap realized that he messed up and, instead of comforting her, made her even more upset. This was not what he had in mind.

''It doesn't matter,'' he said hastily, trying to calm her down. Sam shook her head.

''It seems like it does,'' she said, narrowing her eyes. ''Remember what I said? Whenever your eyes start glowing, it means that you're excited or aggressive. In other words, you become a danger to other people.''

''Sam, I-'' Springtrap cut himself off, realizing that Sam would only get upset if he made up an excuse in order to calm her down. After all, she only trusted him because he was completely honest with her. He sighed. ''Sam, I know I said that I'm a dangerous person, but I mean no harm to you. However, I cannot say the same for anyone else.'' He clenched his fists, the purple glow in his eyes intensifying. ''This is something that won't change.'' He then glanced Sam. ''It still surprises me that out of all people, I am the one you have chosen to trust. Were you really that desperate to have someone to talk to?''

''Yeah, kind of,'' Sam admitted. ''I'm a mess.''

''I think that we're both a mess,'' Springtrap said, with Sam smiling a little, her pale cheeks regaining some colour.

''Isolation really screws with your head, doesn't it?'' Sam said, with Springtrap nodding. ''So, what was that about a possible Night 6?''

''It depends on whether you already know what you would like to do,'' Springtrap replied.

''To be honest, I don't,'' Sam said.

''May I suggest something?'' Springtrap asked, with Sam nodding. ''I think we should go to Ricky's tomorrow. After all, this is where the mystery had started. Maybe we could find out more.''

''Okay,'' Sam said, yawning. ''Sounds like a plan.''

Springtrap then stood up, walking over to the door and glancing back at Sam, who had lied down on her bed. He turned the lights off.

''Good night,'' he said, only to hear a barely audible ''Night'' from her. He then exited the room, closing the door. Leaning back against the door, he closed his eyes, as if trying to calm himself down.

Once he opened them again, they flared purple.

**xXx**

Scrapes were heard, sounding as if a caged animal was trying to break free. It begged him for attention, for the release from its miserable prison. The endoskeleton twitched again and again whenever he would come closer to it. He frowned, staring at it with a look of dissatisfaction.

He then walked over to the table, taking something long and metallic – a crowbar. He weighted it in his hands, taking a swing in order to test it. The endoskeleton started to only twitch more. He then turned to the pitiful mess of metal and wires.

''Shhhhh…'' he hissed. His tone of voice wasn't comforting anymore, as he felt that the twitching of the scared robot was making him only more frustrated. It was already annoying making it work again, but he felt now that he had no use for it.

''You aren't good enough,'' he whispered and swung at the endoskeleton, tearing its head off cleanly. A clanking sound echoed through the room as the head fell down, the glow in its eyes fading. ''You're a failure.''

**xXx**

_My eyes are still glowing purple._

Springtrap was lying on the couch in the guest room, looking at his reflection in the window. He wasn't really unsettled by having his eyes suddenly turn purple, and he had figured that it would fade away eventually and return to the normal silver and green. He lied down, looking past his reflection and at the starry sky.

It had been a long day for both him and Sam. He still had a little trouble believing that Sam wanted him to stay here, but he was glad about that decision. He wasn't really sure whether he could even call this place his new home, but he could get used to that idea.

However, what he was actually looking forward to was the feeling of satisfaction whenever he saw Sam smile. Having spent what seemed to be an eternity in isolation, he understood well how she felt. The feeling of loneliness could drive people crazy, making them desperate enough to do anything to just have some kind of company. While Sam seemed to be able to handle herself, being lonely sure did take a toll on her. Even though there were still things he wasn't sure about, keeping her happy and content was one thing he was certain he would do.

_So, what do you say, Henry? What is your opinion on me trying to make someone happy for once?_

It did frustrate him a little that he couldn't talk to his old friend. There were a lot of unsaid things he wanted to talk about, but he knew that there was nothing he could do now. Henry was gone, and so were Michael, Sammy and Elizabeth. All the people had a connection to had perished thanks to what he had done.

_But, Sam won't. I won't let that happen to her._

He was aware that Henry probably wouldn't approve of their friendship and, frankly, he didn't care. However, he knew that his old partner certainly would not approve of what he was up to now, especially since it also involved Sam.

_There is still something I need to finish._

**xXx**

Sam stretched her arms, holding her smartphone next to her ear and walking downstairs, towards the kitchen.

''Yeah, I'm fine,'' she said, yawning and listening to her mother. As she walked into the kitchen, she saw a fresh batch of pancakes, with Springtrap holding a frying pan. She gave him a questioning look.

''Well, you liked the pancakes I made for you, so I thought I could make them again,'' he replied, with Sam nodding, listened briefly to something her mother told her and then turning the loudspeaker on.

 _''Good morning, Springtrap!''_ Emma greeted the animatronic in a chipper tone, with Springtrap feeling a knot somewhere in the stomach area. He knew that something was wrong, getting a confirmation a moment later. _''I hope you nor Sam are going to do anything stupid today.''_

Springtrap felt unnerved by Emma's ability of figuring things out, even though she wasn't here at all. He remembered her warning from yesterday and shuddered, realizing that she wasn't joking.

''Are you some kind of psychic?'' he asked, trying to sound calm, but it was obvious that he was unnerved.

 _''Actually, I'm just a parent who has developed a sixth sense for figuring out whenever my kid is about to do something I wouldn't approve of,''_ Emma replied. _''The fact that you're with her doesn't make me feel less worried.''_

Springtrap rolled his eyes, feeling annoyed.

 _''Don't give me that look!''_ Emma suddenly yelled, startling the animatronic, who stepped back, completely freaked out.

_How does she know?!_

''I think you achieved what you wanted, Mum,'' Sam said, looking a little baffled and having a feeling that her mother was grinning in satisfaction. ''So, when are you coming back?''

 _''I got a call and I will have to make a little detour,''_ Emma said in a regretful tone. _''I'm coming back either tomorrow or the day after.''_

''I see,'' Sam said, turning the loudspeaker off, mostly for Springtrap's sake, and quickly finishing the call. There was something amusing in seeing him giving her a look that was a mix of feeling annoyed and unsettled.

''Why is she even treating me like I'm some kind of bratty child?'' he said. ''I'm an adult, certainly a lot older than her, and went through things she couldn't even imagine!''

''True, but your past doesn't help your case,'' Sam replied. ''Also, Mum believes that people should earn her respect instead of demanding it. You should try working on that.''

Springtrap still felt irritated, but didn't say anything and focused on cleaning the dishes by putting them in the dishwasher, while Sam targeted her breakfast.

''Mum also said that you don't have to freak out so much in her presence,'' she added.

''Trust me, I don't want that either, but she's quite good at making me paranoid,'' Springtrap replied as he sat next to her.

''I guess that nothing can be done then,'' Sam said, then grinned. ''In any case, the pancakes you made are delicious.''

''I'm glad about that,'' Springtrap replied, putting his arms on the table, crossing them and leaning his head against them as he looked at Sam. ''Honestly, I'm just waiting for you to ask me something.''

''You still have your mind settled on an extra Night,'' Sam said, noticing his ears twitch and lower. ''If I have any questions, I'll ask you.''

''Okay,'' Springtrap said and sat up. ''Then, we are focusing on Ricky's today.''

"Say, Will," Sam said, taking a bite of her pancake. ''Have you suggested Ricky's because it might give us answers on what happened or because you want to go back to an establishment that is similar to the one you used to work?''

Springtrap kept quiet, looking a little unsure about what to say. Sure, his primary reason to go there was their investigation, but he couldn't deny that he missed the atmosphere at Freddy's. It had been a huge part of his life, after all.

''So, let me get this straight. Aside from being a father, a co-founder of a franchise, an engineer, a manager, a CEO of a company, a night guard and a murderer, you're also a performer at heart,'' Sam said.

''You forgot that I'm also an animatronic,'' Springtrap said. ''Besides, I have already told you that something inside me would change whenever I put the mask on. I always considered myself as the character I performed as, with no one being able to replace me.''

''Considering how you're stuck in this suit, there is indeed no way that someone could replace you now,'' Sam said. Springtrap grinned.

''You have a point there,'' he said as she stood up, having finished with her breakfast and placing the dishes into the dishwasher. He then followed her into the living room. ''We still have a lot of time left before we go, so, is there anything you want to do? Do you want to play a game or something like that?''

''Actually, there is something that I've been thinking about,'' Sam said, turning to him. ''About what I said yesterday, it's…'' She sighed. ''It doesn't matter. I'm over it.''

''Are you trying to downplay your situation?'' Springtrap asked, crossing his arms. Sam sat on the couch, leaning back.

''I just wanted to say that my problems aren't as bad as yours, and that I feel that I was just overreacting,'' Sam said, looking up when Springtrap leaned against the couch, giving her a look of concern.

''Sam, you weren't overreacting and I don't think that your problems were less bad than mine,'' he told her. ''What happened affected you more than you think. Therefore, if you want to talk about it, I'm here for you.''

''I'm sorry for pushing you away,'' Sam said in a quiet tone.

''It's fine,'' Springtrap replied. ''You felt vulnerable and uncomfortable at that moment and you just wanted your own space. I understand that. Although, I am curious whether Emma knew about this?''

''I didn't tell her anything, but she had probably figured it out once I started to lock myself up in my room,'' Sam said. ''She didn't say anything, though. I guess she wanted to let me handle it by myself and assumed I would ask her for help if I had trouble dealing with it. She did tell me several times that I should go out and make some new friends.''

''I sincerely doubt she a haunted robot in mind,'' Springtrap said, with Sam chuckling.

''It's still better than nothing,'' she said, with Springtrap stepping back, grinning as he crossed his arms on his back. There was a faint glow of purple in his eyes.

''I am certainly a better option than your former friends,'' he said in an assuring tone. ''Don't worry.''

''There is something I want to ask you, though,'' Sam said. Springtrap's ears lowered, although he had already expected that.

''Okay, what is it?''

''I'm curious about how you feel about being an animatronic,'' Sam said, with Springtrap tilting his head.

''Hadn't we already covered that?'' he asked.

''We kinda did, but I'm curious about your experience before and after becoming the character you used to perform as,'' Sam replied. ''You said that you already liked the idea of being Spring Bonnie aka Springtrap.''

''True, but to be honest, I haven't really thought about it. I just accepted my new existence,'' Springtrap said, rubbing his wrists absentmindedly. After being trapped inside the suit, all he could remember was the agony he felt as he experienced a slow death. After his soul was attached to the suit, there had been a surge of satisfaction once he realized what he had achieved. However, he hadn't really payed much thought to the whole situation and focused on how to take advantage of his new existence. ''It did feel a little strange, though. While I was still alive and would wear the springlock suit while performing, I had to be careful to not trigger the spring locks.''

''After all, there had been a few times when you had seen the aftermath of that,'' Sam said. Springtrap nodded, the purple glow in his eyes becoming stronger.

''Despite the danger, I knew how to handle the suit, different than the other employees,'' he added. ''They were always careful with it, while I managed to move around more easily. It certainly did baffle some of them when they realized that. However, they didn't dare to move around more than necessary.''

''Considering how you and Henry built it, you obviously knew how to wear it without triggering the spring locks and getting crushed by them. Everyone else had Phone Guy's instruction tapes,'' Sam said, watching as Springtrap suddenly took a step forward and bowed gracefully.

''Nevertheless, death has its advantages,'' he said, giving her a smug grin. ''There are no restrictions and there is nothing I have to fear. Despite having my soul trapped inside the suit, I had gained more freedom than I ever had.''

''Unlike your victims,'' Sam said, watching as he went quiet, the smug expression vanishing. His eyes were still glowing purple.

''They have achieved their freedom,'' he said. ''They're gone.''

''That may be true, but what I'm curious about is how much control their souls had over the animatronic AI,'' Sam said. ''You said that you had to overpower the Spring Bonnie AI to take control over the suit, so I'm wondering who really was in control of Freddy and his friends, or who exactly controlled Circus Baby.''

Springtrap gave her a curious look, quite interested into the direction this conversation was going.

''What do you think?'' he asked, crossing his arms.

''I believe that the struggle is harder the more advanced the animatronic AI is,'' she said. ''Freddy and his friends were following their programming, with some direction of the children's souls, although the souls weren't able to take control of the animatronics. Had the souls been completely in control or taken over the AI, I believe that they would've been able to enter the hidden safe room instead of experiencing an error.''

''There's also the fact that you're talking about children's souls. They never knew what they were really doing, didn't they? My situation was completely different. Not only did I know what I was doing, but, as an adult, I could handle the situation in a more efficient way,'' he said, his gaze softening. ''Concerning Elizabeth and Circus Baby, it seems that the soul and AI have merged. When I met her as Scrap Baby, Elizabeth was following the AI's programming, which was to kill.'' He frowned, closing his eyes in frustration. ''Yet, I didn't care. Thinking about it, I never understood how souls really work and I only knew that they could stay attached to metal.'' He opened his eyes, which flared purple as he looked at Sam. ''I did understand how fragile life was and I had searched for a method to make my stay, and everyone else's, here more permanent. Once it worked out, all I had to do was to give into my bloodlust.''

''If it were possible and you had the choice, would you want to become human again, rather than an animatronic?'' Sam asked. Springtrap noted the sincere and innocent tone in her voice, feeling that she was honestly curious about his choices and decisions. He felt that it was quite interesting that she managed to bring up things he never really thought about or payed much attention to, as he believed that it wouldn't serve him any purpose.

''I have already told you that I'm fine the way I'm not,'' he said.

''Okay, but what if that weren't the case?'' Sam persisted. ''If you were still alive, would you try to figure out how to bind your soul to the animatronic you grew attached to?''

Springtrap remained silent for a while, with Sam wondering whether he really had second thoughts about his decision. He then shook his head.

''I think I still would try to do that,'' he said. ''While I may be saying this because my soul is already attached to an animatronic, I still believe that, if I were alive, I would still do the same.''

''But whether you would or wouldn't go murder people to achieve that goal or satisfy your bloodlust remains uncertain,'' Sam said, with Springtrap nodding.

''To be honest, sometimes I feel as if all what happened before getting trapped inside this suit was just a dream,'' he said. ''The hallucinations don't help it either. Sometimes, they are memories of my former life, but sometimes, I have no idea what I'm experiencing. It's not a memory or a delusion, but something completely different.''

''Maybe you have trouble with your memory,'' Sam suggested.

''I think I know how to tell the difference between a memory and whatever I'm experiencing, and I'm fairly certain that there is something else going on in my head,'' Springtrap said.

''Do you think that it's the Spring Bonnie AI trying to tell you something?'' Sam asked.

''I doubt that. I haven't sensed the AI acting up at all,'' Springtrap replied. ''It seems like it's just me inside this suit.''

''I wish I could somehow help you with that,'' Sam said.

''You're already doing a lot for me, more than I had anticipated,'' Springtrap replied, sitting next to her.

''Yeah, it is a little strange that I'm still here and talking to you,'' Sam said.

''You mean the fact that you're talking to a dangerous murderer and still alive despite that,'' Springtrap said, his eyes glowing purple. He looked worried.

''Kinda,'' Sam said, with Springtrap feeling that there was more to it. ''I am not really afraid of you, but I do feel sometimes a little unnerved by your presence.''

Springtrap lowered his head. He had already expected her to tell him that and he felt bad about it. He wanted to make her feel comfortable, but it was obvious that that would be hard, if not impossible, to achieve.

''I'm sorry about that,'' he muttered.

''Remember what happened when we first met?'' Sam said in a dark tone. ''You basically dragged me into an empty building and threatened me, and the first thing you told me was: _'Do you really think I would let you go so easily? Don't struggle, it'll be over soon.'_. I was completely freaked out and afraid for my life. It was as if I was stuck in a nightmare.''

Springtrap stared at her, a little shocked. He was aware that what happened that evening was probably burned into her memory, but he didn't really expect her to quote his exact words back at him. He lowered his head, his eyes glowing in a soft purple. _It feels like ages had passed since then-_

''I did see you as my next victim,'' he said, clenching his fists. ''I am not making an excuse for what I did, but at that time, I figured that I should just continue with what I had started.''

He suddenly went silent. _I was allowed to return and finish what I had started. But, what I did…_

''William?'' He opened his eyes, seeing Sam's worried expression. It wasn't the worry and fear he had seen in his victims, but something different. Unlike the children, he wasn't a stranger to her.

''Sam, I'm sorry that I hurt you,'' he said in a comforting tone. ''I don't want to see you being hurt again.''

His eyes were glowing purple and he was aware that he wouldn't achieve much with just apologizing to her, even if he was sincere about everything he said. _Not to mention, there is still what I had planned for her. For both of us._ His eyes flared purple. _Something I had started and now I need to finish._

''William, what's going on?'' Sam asked. Springtrap frowned.

''Sam, I am not trying to atone for what I did, but there is something I need to do,'' he said.

''Does it involve murder?'' Sam asked in a quiet tone, with Springtrap staring at her, a dark, determined look on his expression.

''They have already happened,'' he said.

**xXx**

It was another busy day, with children and adults trying to enjoy the time they spent at this place. He was moving around the place, weaving through the groups of people, easily avoiding bumping into any of them, despite the fact that he wore a mascot suit. He was already used to it, capable of finding his way through the crowd.

He would occasionally stop, greet parents and their children, sing and dance with them or merely direct them towards the arcades, the animatronics or the counter where they could order something to eat or drink. It was a job he enjoyed, being able to act the way he never would when the mask was off. He was a different person, able to share his feelings with others, but at the same time hiding his true intentions. Once again, he was walking on a thin line, this one being between reality and imagination.

Still, something was missing.

As he walked around, checking on everything, he saw someone familiar looking at the animatronics that were performing on the stage, a teen with brown hair. She seemed to be quite curious about the robots.

_She looks lovely today._

He approached her, amused that she didn't even notice him.

''Hello there,'' he said. ''I see you have taken interest in my friends.''

The girl suddenly turned around, surprised to see Ricky staring at her. Suddenly, they got approached by another girl, who took the teen's hand and the two quickly walked away, gossiping about something. The man inside the costume felt a deep sense of dissatisfaction, the feeling of anger rushing through his body.

_This wasn't the girl I was searching for._


	11. Can't Get Away

**Night 10**

**Can't Get Away**

_''Gotta fight tonight, yeah I'm wide awake. Hit the lights, this ain't right, I can't get away. I've tried to hide, what more can they take. There's no more time, I can't get away.''_

_– **Can't Get Away** by HalaCG_

**xXxXxXx**

Sam was alert, despite the relaxed look she had as she was drinking her favorite strawberry milkshake and slowly walked through Ricky's Wonder Shack. It was crowded as always, with Sam being a little surprised that people would still be coming here. Sure, she could understand that it was popular, but still, wouldn't someone be a little suspicious. It wasn't exactly safer than the local playground, but it seemed that most adults saw it as one. Children could burn off their energy while playing and their parents or guardians relied on employees to watch over their children. Sam really hated this kind of mindset, feeling that people should be more alert and suspicious. Of course, not all parents were like this, but there was no excuse for those who believed that they didn't have to do anything regarding the safety of their children.

Despite the fact that Sam knew that she needed to focus on her investigation, she did want to enjoy herself a little. One thing was sure, Springtrap was right about there being something about this atmosphere at Ricky's that made you want to be here. It was as if you entered a completely different world and you didn't want to return back to reality. The children showed so much energy and adults and teens could chat without fearing that they would be overheard due to the noise, which they would tune out during their private conversations. The dim lights in some parts of the location, as well as the lack of any kind of clock, made you unaware of how much time had passed. You were in a daze and went simply along with whatever was going on.

_It wouldn't be hard to kidnap a child in this place. No one would notice._

These kinds of thoughts kept Sam focused on her task. There needed to be at least one person who would keep an eye on things. She had no idea whether Ricky's re-hired a night guard or whether the cameras were recording anything. However, considering that there was someone in this building who had their own agenda, she wouldn't be surprised that this person was keeping things as quiet as possible.

She walked over to the stage, keeping an eye on Ricky, who was performing along with the other mascots. He was in animatronic mode, which made her feel nervous. She wasn't afraid of the animatronic, but rather worried about the fact that she had no idea where Ricky's actor was. After all, she would be approached by him every time she entered the place. It was unnerving, but she could handle it. However, now that she knew that something strange was going on, she felt as if she was being stalked.

The only thing that kept her calm was the knowledge that Springtrap was also here and keeping an eye on her, despite the fact that she didn't see him either. Still, she trusted him, knowing that he would not let her get hurt by some creep.

However, there was something that made her unsure about Springtrap. She recalled their conversation from earlier, aware that there was something he wanted to get done, something which had nothing to do with Ricky's. She assumed it was something from his past at Freddy's, but didn't ask him any further questions.

She did wonder whether they would have to stay after hours in order to find something connected to their investigation, with the answer being quite obvious. She was actually a little excited about it and just wanted to wander around until it was time to leave. However, as she walked around, throwing away her cup into the trash and leaning against the wall, playing on her smartphone, she couldn't shake off the feeling that she was observed by someone who wasn't Springtrap.

**xXx**

Despite being half-hidden in a dark corner on the other end of the area, Springtrap was still able to keep an eye on Sam. He was worried about her, suspecting that, if the person who was with them at the factory was indeed employed here, might suspect Sam to be the intruder from the previous night. Sure, the person hadn't seen them, but he felt a little paranoid about the whole situation.

Not to mention, just like Sam, he was also interested in the room behind the stage. He figured he could try his luck and stay behind again, only to let Sam in to they could check it out. Of course, it might be a little problematic for her, since he could just walk past the animatronics without being attacked, but he knew they could find a way to deal with that situation later. After all, he knew well how to avoid being detected by the animatronics.

He could still remember the time he accepted the night shift at the Freddy's. At first, the animatronics didn't seem to do anything unusual, as they worked just as intended. The only exception was the Puppet, who recognized him and decided to get her revenge on him. However, he figured that he could keep the animatronic calm thanks to a music box. It had been a feature Henry had added to the animatronic for his own reasons, with William using it to his own advantage.

_You left me no other choice, Charlie._

All that was left was for him to deal with the Withereds and the Toys. He had realized that Puppet probably directed them to hunt him down, but he wanted to let her know that he wasn't going down without a fight. He had requested a transfer to the day shift, telling the management that the animatronics were behaving strangely, while at the same time tampering with their programming in order to make them not only aggressive towards him, but towards any adult they came across. A few days later, his replacement had arrived, but he had never met the guy in person. He didn't plan on staying for too long at the location.

_They're coming for me…_

He stared at the people moving around, but they looked more like faceless shadows. He could hear the noise they made, but it was muffled. It felt as if he wasn't even in the same room with them.

 _Another memory?_ He frowned. _No, this isn't a memory._

He stepped back as he saw three familiar animatronics roaming among the faceless shadows. Their eyes were glowing brightly, with them turning towards him. Toy Freddy, Toy Bonnie and Toy Chica were slowly walking towards him, as if they knew who he was. Only he could see them and, even though he knew it was just another hallucination, they looked incredibly realistic.

_''It's time for a payback.''_

Springtrap's eyes flashed purple as he suddenly heard that voice again. It was the very same that taunted him when he had a breakdown.

_''Did you really believe that we were all gone? You're a fool.''_

He took another step back, noticing how the Toys passed through the faceless shadows, getting closer and closer towards him. He hit the wall, staring back at them as they stepped closer. They were getting distorted, as if glitching out. There was static in front of his eyes, and he crouched down, clutching his head.

_''How pathetic. You're nothing more than a coward.''_

With each step those hallucinations took towards him, Springtrap could feel the frustration growing inside him. He was furious at the voice, but felt that he couldn't do anything against it. So far, he was powerless against the voice and the hallucinations. All he could do was to force himself to escape its manipulation.

The static suddenly disappeared and he opened his eyes. To his shock, he saw two familiar people standing in front of him – the twins, Kathy and Kyle. Feeling confused and flustered, he stared back at them, noticing that they looked worried, probably even scared.

''What are you doing here?'' he asked, trying to keep his tone calm.

''Are you hurt?'' Kathy countered with a question of her own.

''I'm fine, just a little dazed,'' he said. ''But, what are you doing here? Are your parents with you?''

''No,'' Kyle muttered, looking as if he was feeling guilty about it.

''Mummy and Daddy yelled at Auntie,'' Kathy said. ''But, they couldn't get another babysitter, so Auntie is babysitting us.''

''I see,'' Springtrap muttered. He didn't like that kind of solution, as their aunt obviously proved to be uncaring, but he still hoped that they would be fine.

''Thanks for telling us what to do when we get lost again,'' Kathy added. Kyle grinned.

''Auntie will get in trouble if she forgets us again,'' he said. The two glanced at each other, both grinning deviously. Kathy then took her brother's hand and they walked away, waving at Springtrap.

''It was nice to see you again, Spring!''

''Bye!''

Springtrap stared at them, the twins being apparently more confident than they were before. He felt bad for them having to deal with their neglectful aunt, but something told him that they would be fine. However, as he tried to find Sam, his eyes suddenly flashed purple.

Ricky was gone from his stage.

**xXx**

Sam yawned, looking up from her phone, feeling as if she was in a state of stupor. She looked back at the stage, mentally cursing herself for not paying attention. Ricky was gone from the stage, which meant that the actor took over and was wandering around somewhere.

''Hello, there!''

Sam froze when she suddenly heard a familiar voice. She quickly turned around, noticing Ricky looking at her. She stepped back, feeling her heart racing.

''It is amazing to see you again,'' Ricky said cheerfully. ''You haven't been visiting Ricky's Wonder Shack lately.''

''Um, how would you know that?'' Sam asked in a nervous tone.

''Oh, I know who my friends are,'' Ricky said, chuckling. ''Don't tell me that you don't like being here?''

''Well, I kind of do,'' Sam said in a quiet tone. Ricky tilted his head.

''But, aren't you interested in my friends?'' he said, sounding slightly disappointed. ''After all, not many people can brag about being friends with robots!''

''I am fine with the animatronics, but there are different kinds of characters I prefer more,'' Sam said. ''No offense.''

''Tsk,'' Ricky sounded irritated. ''Tell me, which characters are more interesting than me an my friends? I am quite sure that we are the best, but I would like to know what kind of animatronics would be better.''

''I prefer Freddy and his friends,'' Sam said, narrowing her eyes. She stepped back, feeling the wall behind her. Glancing past Ricky, she realized that no one was really paying attention to her, probably assuming that Ricky was just entertaining her.

''Freddy's?'' Sam noticed the angry tone in Ricky's actor's voice, with him sounding as if he was barely restraining himself. ''Well, Freddy's is in the past. You will see that my Wonder Shack is much better.''

He extended his hand, about to grab her wrist, but then noticed Sam looking past him. Confused, he turned around, expecting another customer to ask him something, but there wasn't anyone. However, in the corner of his eye, he saw a golden-green bunny with glowing purple eyes.

He blinked, completely startled, only to realize that the bunny was gone. _Am I imagining things?_

Frowning, he turned back to Sam, only to realize that she was gone, having slipped away while he was distracted. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist, feeling furious. _I wanted to be her friend. How dare she leave me?_

''Uh-huh, Mr. Ricky?'' He turned, noticing a boy looking at him with a curious expression.

''Hello, hello! Do you want to play a game?'' he asked in a charming, friendly tone. The boy nodded, smiling. ''Great! How about hide and seek? I'll be the one seeking.''

The boy nodded and quickly ran away. Ricky observed him as he disappeared into the crowd. He didn't really mind playing hide and seek, but the boy wasn't the person he wanted to seek.

_Now, where is our animatronic enthusiast hiding?_

**xXx**

The moment Ricky's actor was distracted, Sam quickly got away, blending in with the crowd. All she wanted to do was to get away from Ricky as far as possible. He was freaking her out and something told her that he wasn't friendly towards her only because she showed interest in the animatronics. The fact that was angry that she liked the animatronics from Freddy's didn't help the case. Currently, she was trying to just get as far away from the stage area as possible. The daze she felt completely vanished and she was fully alert to her surroundings.

Or maybe not, because, as she walked over to the darker parts of the location, she felt someone grabbing her arm and dragging her into the hallway that led to the back entrance. At first, she was about to fight back, only to be relieved to see that it was Springtrap rather than Ricky.

''You have no idea how happy I am to see you,'' she told him.

''I think I do,'' Springtrap replied. ''That wolf just wouldn't leave you alone.''

''Honestly, I just want to get out of this place, but…'' Sam fell silent.

''Sam, how about we leave for a while and come back later, when everyone has gone home,'' Springtrap suggested. Sam nodded, with the two quickly taking the back exit.

As they entered the alley behind the building, Springtrap glanced back at it, a look of concern on his expression.

''I should stay behind, since we don't have the keys…'' he muttered, glancing at Sam who gave him a sheepish look and took out a pair of keys from her pocket. He looked baffled at first, then frowned, crossing his arms. ''You stole the keys?!''

''Actually, I made a copy of them,'' Sam admitted, with Springtrap shaking his head. Despite the fact that he was trying his best to look serious, he was actually amused.

''I believe that making a copy of the keys isn't exactly legal,'' he said.

''Since when do you care what is legal and what isn't? Besides, you were the one who took them in the first place,'' Sam replied, placing the keys back into her pocket. ''Now, all we have to do is to wait.''

''How about going to Freddy's?'' Springtrap suggested. Sam gave him a questioning look, thinking about it for a moment.

''Okay,'' she said, following him. While she didn't ask him, she was actually a curious about why he wanted to go there.

**xXx**

Freddy's had been empty as always, but what surprised them was that the door had been left open as well. Sam took the flashlight out of her bag, illuminating the hallway as they walked towards the main area. The two exchanged a look and then went towards the hidden room, opening it. There was a tense moment of anticipation, only for them to see that it had been cleaned out, as if there never had been a bloody corpse.

''At least we know that someone had been here,'' Springtrap said as he closed the door.

''Well, it seems to be empty now,'' Sam said as they walked back to the main area. The room was dark, with the shutters all being pulled down, with Sam's flashlight and Springtrap's glowing eyes being the only thing that illuminated the room. It was also completely silent, with Sam feeling a bit like an intruder. She noticed that Springtrap, on the other hand, felt content with being here.

''It's so quiet here,'' Springtrap muttered, looking at the stage. His eyes glowed purple when he suddenly saw Freddy, Bonnie and Chica on it, singing and entertaining everyone. The hallucination faded as he looked away. He glanced at Sam, who put the flashlight on a table, letting it illuminate the whole room. ''Are you okay? You looked quite uncomfortable when Ricky approached you.''

''Honestly, I am just glad I'm away from him,'' Sam replied, leaning against the table. ''I sincerely doubt that he just wants to be my friend.''

''He essentially cornered you,'' Springtrap said, approaching her. ''What did he even want?''

''He wanted to introduce me to the animatronics and got really angry when I told him that I prefer the animatronics at Freddy's,'' Sam replied, noticing Springtrap's eyes flaring. ''He then almost grabbed my wrist.''

''That bastard's lucky he didn't drag you away,'' Springtrap said. Sam felt that he wanted to say something else, but he kept quiet. He noticed that she was staring at him, but gave her an assuring smile. ''So, according to you, despite the familiar atmosphere, Ricky's has nothing on Freddy's.''

''You're right,'' Sam said. ''After all, Ricky's doesn't have any haunted animatronics.''

Springtrap looked flustered at first, but then relaxed when he realized that Sam was just messing with him.

''In any case, what do you think about Ricky?'' he asked her.

''It is not Ricky who makes me uncomfortable, but his actor,'' Sam replied. ''It is always the same man, and whenever I would go to Ricky's, I would be approached by him. At first, I thought he would just try to entertain me, but then I noticed that he was being quite focused on me.''

''Is there anything strange he told you?'' he asked.

''He was curious about my interest in the animatronics, but, as I said, he didn't like the fact that I preferred the animatronics at Freddy's rather than those at Ricky's. He also wanted to 'introduce' me to the animatronics,'' she said. ''Do you think that he has something to do with what happened?''

''It is possible,'' Springtrap replied. ''Someone who works as an animatronic actor would have easier access to the room where the suits were, which is also where we found the blood.''

''What if he's also the same person that we encountered at the factory?'' Sam muttered. ''I mean, I know that this all is really weird, if not insane, and that we may even be wrong, but…''

''What if we aren't?'' Springtrap whispered, completing her thought. Sam shuddered and walked over to the stage and sat on it. Springtrap joined her, at first believing that she was freaked out by their possible discovery and the fact that a murderer was probably after her for some reason, until he realized that it was too similar to his own situation. He didn't bother her, deciding to let her process the whole thing. However, he also noticed that she didn't look too disturbed about it.

''If we aren't wrong about this, we need to find out who this guy is and what exactly is going on,'' she said in a determined tone. Springtrap nodded, with silence falling between them once again. ''To be honest, I am looking forward to Freddy's opening again.''

''Really?'' Springtrap looked at her, his eyes glowing purple and his ears twitching. ''You're not the only one.''

''Does that have something to do with what you're planning?'' Sam asked.

''Don't worry, this has nothing to do with you,'' Springtrap told her, his eyes now flaring purple. ''It's just something I need to get done.''

He suddenly stood up, seeing static in front of his eyes. He tried to shake it off, but it overwhelmed him.

 _''I guess that there's going to be another murder on top of those you have committed.''_ The voice was back, louder and clearer than before. He looked around in the dark room, which was barely illuminated. He saw the stage, but Sam was nowhere in sight.

''There will be, if you don't shut up!'' he growled.

_''Frustrated, are we? You could, for example, take the knife on your right and pick someone. Nobody will notice.''_

The voice was taunting him, with Springtrap suddenly finding a large kitchen knife on a table next to him. He heard children's laughter and cries and, as he looked up, he saw faceless, shadow-like people, both children and adults. They were walking around, the children running around, but their movements were jittery, as if controlled by a puppeteer.

_''One life is not enough for you, and you have been given another for the one you lost.''_

Something forced him to take the knife and he looked at it, noticing his reflection on the blade. Suddenly, dark, fresh blood covered the knife, dripping on the floor.

_''See what you have done?''_

He stepped back, letting the knife fall out of his hand. He winced as he heard the clanking, but his mind was blank. He could feel the void inside him consuming him. However, inside that void, he could feel rage and frustration. Not only that, but the bloodlust he attempted to hide was surging through his body again.

_''That's what I had expected. There is no hope for you.''_

There was static again, and the room became brighter. He was still standing on the same spot and looked back at Sam, who looked worried.

''There is no rest for the wicked,'' she said.

Springtrap's ears lowered and he sat back on the stage, feeling exhausted and hateful towards that voice that was torturing him. He had no idea who the owner of that voice was or what they wanted from him. It sounded child-like, but at the same time, it had an aspect of maturity. It echoed through his head, as if coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. It was velvet and commanding, belonging to some kind of entity who wanted to make him suffer. Or maybe, he should accept this as his punishment. After all, he deserved much worse.

''Is there a way for me to help you?''

He looked at Sam in surprise, then shook his head.

''For now, you don't need to bother,'' he said.

''I really _do_ want to be bothered,'' Sam replied. Springtrap smiled.

''I appreciate that.''

**xXx**

_Come out, come out, wherever you are!_

He searched for the girl, but couldn't find her. He did, however, find the few kids that wanted to play hide and seek with him. Every time a child he found smiled and giggled, he felt disappointment. Anxiety grew inside him as he was also looking for the golden-green bunny, which he assumed to be a person in a costume, but he couldn't find it at all. He wondered who this was, or whether he was just imagining the bunny.

He hated this hide and seek game, and he was furious at the bunny, feeling that it took away the person he wished too keep for himself. He hoped that he could change her mind, to make her stay here. He was sure that she would like to spend her time here if he was given the chance to persuade her.

After all, if she was so interested in the animatronics, he could create much better ones.

**xXx**

It was quite late when Springtrap and Sam returned to Ricky's. There were no cars nor people in sight and everything was dead quiet. Sam unlocked the door, with Springtrap walking inside it first, in case there was still someone inside. However, it seemed that only the animatronics were there, roaming through the building. Springtrap was quite interested in them, wanting to examine them, but for now, there was something else he needed to deal with.

''Since the animatronics are active, you will have to wait somewhere safe,'' he told Sam, pointing at the maintenance room next to them. ''Stay there until I check on the animatronics.''

''You know, I could try to find my way around the place without being caught,'' Sam replied, with Springtrap having already expected her to protest.

''Sam, if the animatronics go after you, you have no way of dealing with them,'' he said. ''Besides, we have no idea how they would even react to you.''

''Could you at least check on their walking pattern? I could avoid them once I know their blind spots,'' Sam replied.

''Okay, but I'd rather want you to stay hidden,'' he said. ''I don't want you to get hurt.''

''Don't worry, I'll be fine,'' Sam replied, entering the room and closing the door.

Springtrap then left in order to investigate the building. As he walked into the main area, he had passed Max, who ignored him and continued his patrol. He observed the animatronic entering the hallway he came out from, only for Max to continue towards the employee area.

As he continued walking, he entered the arcade area, seeing Virgil walking between the arcades, pausing every few moments and looking around, before he continued. He continued towards the stage area, where the tables were and noticed Dahlia and Ricky patrolling through the place. Dahlia then walked into the kitchen, emerging a minute later. Quentin, on the other hand, was nowhere in sight. Their eyes were glowing, bright enough to illuminate the entire room.

 _That's new._ Springtrap frowned. He didn't recall the animatronics going into closed rooms. _I guess that someone worked on improving them._

He then realized that they could also enter the room Sam was hiding in, as they didn't take the walkie-talkie to communicate with each other, hoping that the investigation would be quick. He decided to quickly check the pattern of the animatronics and return back to Sam. What he noticed was that their pattern this time was completely different from the one he saw before. Dahlia and Virgil had been the ones who went to the employee area, but the only animatronic he saw going there was Max and, as he assumed, Quentin. It was something that bothered him.

Another thing he had noticed was that there was a time frame when none of the animatronics were observing the entrance he came from and that there were enough spots for Sam to hide, like behind the arcades or under the tables. Otherwise the animatronics were walking into every part of the location, only avoiding entering the room behind the stage.

Once he was satisfied with the information he got, he wanted to go back to get Sam, only to freeze as he heard a horrible mechanical screech.

**xXx**

Sam gasped, dodging Max' cutlass and hiding beneath the table in the maintenance room. His eyes were glowing brightly as he tried to reach and stab her, but she managed to slip away and run into the hallway. She could hear Max' heavy steps as the animatronic was coming towards her. She shuddered when she heard another pair of steps coming from the employee area and quickly ran towards the main area, hiding behind the arcades in order to avoid Virgil, keeping the flashlight off. She suddenly sensed someone behind her, turning her head as she felt a hand on her shoulder, but it was Springtrap and not one of the animatronics from Ricky's.

''Are you okay?'' he asked.

''Aside from almost being stabbed by Max, yeah,'' she said, taking a deep breath.

''They have started entering closed rooms,'' Springtrap explained in a hushed tone. Sam was worried and then glanced at the main area, observing the construction that was a combination of a tower, slide and monkey bars.

''They are not capable of climbing, right?'' she asked. Springtrap shook his head, already having an idea what Sam was planning to do. He looked up, noticing that Max now entered the room and Virgil was coming closer.

''I'll keep them away,'' he told her and then went over to Virgil, just as Sam dashed out of her hiding spot. Virgil saw her, about to follow her, only to have his wing being grabbed and pulled back by Springtrap, slamming into a nearby arcade.

Sam meanwhile avoided Dahlia, who noticed her just as she climbed up. Luckily, the animatronic gave up the chase and continued wandering around. Sam noticed that Quentin had also entered the room. The animatronics were now circling around her like hungry sharks. Springtrap quickly approached her, quite worried, but relaxed a little when he noticed her waving back.

''I'm fine,'' she said. ''But, it seems like I won't be coming down any time soon, at least unless the animatronics get distracted and don't pay attention to me.''

''The only room they aren't entering is the one behind the stage,'' Springtrap said. ''I believe that you can get inside it once they move away.''

However, the animatronics weren't leaving the main area. Ricky and Dahlia came several times close to Sam, stopping and looking around, and left again. Springtrap frowned, realizing what was going on.

''They know that there's an intruder here and they have adapted to that,'' he said. ''They won't be leaving this part of the building any time soon.''

''Is there a way for me to get to the room behind the stage?'' Sam asked. Springtrap stepped back, observing the animatronics' new pattern. ''I wonder how they would react to seeing me being 'caught' by you. I mean, you're another animatronic and they don't seem to mind your presence.''

''Honestly, I am not sure about that idea,'' Springtrap replied. ''Let's keep that as our last option.''

What he noticed was that Dahlia, Ricky and Quentin were walking close to the stage, but there had been an opening for Sam if she was quick enough.

''Do you see this?'' he asked. Sam nodded.

''Just go and open the door,'' she replied. Springtrap went towards the stage, throwing away the curtain that was covering the door and opening it. Quentin, who walked past him, didn't seem to be bothered by it and didn't enter the room.

''Perfect,'' Springtrap muttered, grinning. He then turned to the tower, with Sam keeping an eye on Ricky who was getting quite close to her. ''Ready…? Now!''

Sam went down the slide and ran towards the stage, being noticed by Dahlia, who went after her. Ricky followed her, while Quentin turned around just as she was getting close to the stage. He was the closest, but couldn't get her as Springtrap grabbed his arm and started to drag him away. Sam managed to run into the room, observing Ricky and Dahlia walking over to her, only to stop and go back.

''That was close,'' she said, sighing. She watched as Springtrap walked over, entering the room. She then took the flashlight from her bag and turned it on. She gasped, just now noticing that they weren't alone in the room. There was an endoskeleton in the corner, having sharp teeth, pointy ears and claws on its hands and feet.

''I guess we should've expected them to have a spare endoskeleton,'' Springtrap said as Sam illuminated more of the room. There were spare parts, along with a costume. What attracted their attention was a huge mirror on the wall. Sam walked over to it, starting to fix her hair.

''I'm not sure whether this would count as sign of vanity for Ricky's actor,'' she said, chuckling as she noticed the aloof look Springtrap gave her.

''You look fine, Sam,'' he replied, then grinned and ruffled her hair in a playful manner, with Sam escaping his grasp, looking irritated, but she was still smiling. However, her smile was replaced by a curious look as she walked closer to the mirror.

''Have you heard that?'' she asked, with the two keeping quiet. Suddenly, they heard a sound, as if someone banged against the ground. It was followed by another one, this one being more metallic in nature.

Springtrap approached the mirror, looking at the wall behind it and tracing it with his fingers, as if searching for a hidden switch. He winced when he heard a clanking sound and waited for another sound, but everything went quiet. Sam meanwhile leaned against the wall, knocking on the wall and on the wall on the other side. The sounds they emitted were different.

''There is a hidden room behind this mirror,'' she said.

''Yeah, but how do we open it?'' Springtrap asked, glancing at Sam. She shrugged, with him looking back at the mirror. ''I wonder, what does it hide? They don't want people to know about it.''

''There is a possibility that they're keeping something from coming out of the room,'' Sam said. Springtrap stepped back, frowning.

''I'll go check the rest of the place for more clues,'' he said. ''I doubt that every employee knows about this room, since they made sure to keep it hidden. However, maybe I can find something about it.''

''Okay, but we cannot stay here for too long,'' Sam said. ''Please, hurry up.''

''I'll be back soon,'' Springtrap replied, exiting the room. As he walked past the animatronics, he noticed that they would look at him, twitching as they stared at him, and then continue their patrol. _They're learning._

He didn't like this at all. Not only were the animatronics adapting and changing patterns, they were also suspicious of him. Even if he was an animatronic, he wasn't part of their establishment and they seemed to be aware of it.

_This is not good._

He was curious about the hidden room, wondering what was inside it and whether there was a specific way to access it, as well as wondering who exactly had access to it. He stopped walking, realizing that this was a mistake and that he should get Sam and get as fast as possible out of this place.

_Something's wrong._

Suddenly, a high-pitched scream echoed through the building. Springtrap's eyes widened in shock and flashed purple as the turned to where the scream came from.

_Sam!_


	12. Disconnected

**Night 11**

**Disconnected**

_''You made monsters that feed on innocence with my unknowing help, and now it chills me to the bone the way you look at them. I turned a blind eye, but I can't do that forever. You're on the wrong side (and now) we can't go down this path together. Yeah, I'm disconnected! I'm cutting the thread, so this is the end! I am torn, I can't ignore, I'm disconnected!''_

_– **Disconnected** by TryHardNinja ft. Not A Robot_

**xXxXxXx**

Springtrap rushed into the main area, seeing Ricky close to the stage. Sam was nowhere to be seen, but he was quite sure he had heard her voice. He went over to the stage, realizing that Ricky was staring at the room next to it, but wasn't going inside.

''Sam!'' he called out for her frantically, entering the room. To his shock, Sam was on the floor, sobbing as she held her arm wrapped up in the lower part of her T-shirt. He quickly approached her, crouching next to her. ''Sam, are you okay? Are you injured? What happened?''

Sam looked up, tears in her eyes. She was obviously in pain, but she seemed to be more in a state of shock. As he looked down at her shirt, he noticed spots of blood appearing. Sam was still shaking, trying to show him her arm.

''I-I'm sorry,'' she muttered. ''I was so stupid… Ricky grabbed me…''

She lifted his her arm, with Springtrap noticing deep scratches in her skin, with blood trickling from it. There were four smaller gashes and a longer one on the side of her arm. Springtrap realized that Ricky probably grabbed Sam's arm, but only managed to scratch her as she escaped his grip. Still, the injuries didn't look pretty.

''I'll get something to wrap your arm in,'' he said. ''Wait here and don't move.''

Sam nodded, now having calmed down a little. As the adrenaline stopped rushing through her body, she felt something else. Pain shot through her arm, and the cold air caused her injuries to sting. She mentally cursed herself for letting her guard down. Springtrap soon arrived with two towels he had found at the kitchen, one wet, and helped her clean up her wounds.

''I just wanted to check on the animatronics,'' Sam said, biting her lip, wincing as she felt the cool towel on her arm. The pain slowly subsided. ''Ricky then suddenly appeared and grabbed my arm, digging his claws into it. I managed to shake him off, but…''

She took a deep breath as Springtrap cleaned her arm with the dry towel. As he removed it, they could see the damage more clearly. The smaller scratches stopped bleeding, but the longer one was still a little bloody, red and raw. Springtrap then wrapped the towel around her arm, ripping the dry one and creating a makeshift sling.

''We need to get out,'' he said, with Sam giving him a worried look.

''They won't attack you, but you saw what they did to me,'' she said. Springtrap frowned, trying to figure out a way out.

''Did you notice what the other animatronics did when Ricky grabbed you?'' he asked.

''They just turned towards us, but didn't do anything,'' Sam replied. ''Once I broke free, they went towards me, but as I entered this room, they stopped.''

''I see,'' Springtrap muttered. ''I think we should try your idea out. If they won't attack me and won't react if they see me acting as if I caught you, we could get out without them going after us.''

''I hope so,'' Sam said in a weak tone. Springtrap felt a knot in his stomach area, but nodded. He had to get her out no matter what. Sam got up, with Springtrap holding her non-injured arm. Sam kept close to him, nervous as they exited the room and walked into the main area. Instantly, Ricky's attention turned to her, but he didn't act. Sam was a little relieved, but she still felt tense due to Ricky's glare and noticed some smudge on the tips of his claws, her own skin and blood. She shuddered.

Springtrap also noticed the strange looks the animatronics were giving them, but they didn't approach the two. Still, that didn't make them less unnerving and he had a feeling that they would eventually realize that he wasn't part of their establishment, but an intruder. Luckily, they managed to get out of the building, with Sam quickly locking the door behind her. Both sighed in relief.

''May I see your arm again?'' Springtrap asked, with Sam taking her arm out of her sling and letting him unwrap the towel. She was still bleeding from the side scratch. He frowned, feeling frustrated as he wrapped her arm into the towel. Sam didn't seem to have a problem with moving it around, so he figured it was just a flesh wound that didn't need stitches and that there were no broken bones. ''I shouldn't have left you there alone.''

''It's over now,'' Sam muttered, noticing that Springtrap was quite upset. The two then walked towards Sam's street.

''We should've gotten out of that place sooner, but I just had to go look around. This is all my fault,'' he said, feeling guilty for letting her get injured.

''Will, I'm fine,'' Sam said in an assuring tone. ''It's just a scratch.''

''A scratch? Sam, you're bleeding!'' Springtrap rose his voice.

''It's not that bad,'' Sam replied. ''It'll heal soon. Besides, it is my fault that I just had to go out of my hiding spot to check on the animatronics instead of waiting for you.''

''No,'' Springtrap replied in a firm tone, his eyes flashing purple. ''I was responsible for your safety, so therefore, what happened to you is my fault. I shouldn't have left you alone.''

Static and blood covered his vision, fear and worry slowly growing inside him. _What if Sam suffered a worse injury? What if I overlooked something? I promised I would keep her safe and I messed up!_

''William!''

The scream snapped him out of the hallucination and, to his horror, he found himself almost crushing Sam's injured arm. He stumbled, quickly letting her go and backing away, with Sam looking just as hurt and mortified as he was.

''I'm sorry! I didn't mean to, I-'' Springtrap cut himself off, realizing that apologizing won't help. He just had hurt her and there was no way nor reason to downplay it or shrug it off. He noticed Sam holding her injured arm with the other one, as if she was hugging herself for safety.

''These hallucinations are getting worse and worse,'' she said. Springtrap stared at her, with static flashing in front of his eyes and the resulting hallucination horrifying him. Sam was still there, but her eyes were empty eye-sockets and she was crying blood, which trailed down her cheeks. He shook his head, trying to get rid off the hallucination. He then noticed Sam staring at him, looking hurt and tired. ''I just want to go home.''

''Don't worry, we'll be there soon,'' Springtrap said in an attempt of encouragement, despite the fact that they still had a good 15-20 minute walk in front of them, especially since they were avoiding streets that would be more crowded during this time. He didn't care about anyone seeing them, as he was too worried about Sam's injury. Then, he realized that there was something else that he forgot about. ''Emma is going to grill me for this.'' He then shook his head. ''It doesn't matter, I will deal with her later.''

''Oh, yeah,'' Sam said in a deadpan tone, glancing at her arm. ''Mum will freak out.''

''It doesn't matter as long as you're fine,'' Springtrap told her. She looked back at him, noticing that his eyes were glowing in a faint purple and he had the same look of resignation he had when he told her he wanted to stay out of her life.

''I won't be fine if you leave,'' she muttered.

Springtrap strongly disagreed with her, but he didn't want to argue with her. He felt exhausted, with static still flickering now and then in front of his eyes. Still, he could manage it.

**xXx**

Once they had arrived at home, Springtrap went over to the bathroom, taking the first aid kit out and walking over to Sam, who was unwrapping her arm. The injuries looked even worse under the bright light in the living room, but they didn't seem to be infected.

''It doesn't seem to be that bad,'' Sam said, only to wince when Springtrap lifted her arm gently. ''Maybe I said that too soon.''

''Don't worry, I can patch you up,'' Springtrap replied, taking out antiseptic wipes, a gauze and bandages. Sam took the antiseptic wipes and started to clean her injuries, wincing as she felt her skin burning once she started to clean the side of her arm. She then extended her arm, letting Springtrap place the gauze around her arm and started to wrap the bandage around her arm.

''You're quite good at this,'' Sam said as Springtrap checked whether he placed the bandage correctly, making sure it wasn't too tight.

''Let's just say that there were a lot of injuries at my working place, some of which I had to deal with personally,'' Springtrap replied.

''You said that you had survived a spring lock accident,'' Sam said as Springtrap put a tape on the bandage, securing it.

''True,'' Springtrap said. ''I didn't bother to go to the hospital though, as I didn't want to explain them how I got those cuts. I managed to deal with them on my own, although there was more blood than I thought there would be. Now, can you move your arm?''

''Yeah,'' Sam said, lifting her arm and clenching and opening her fist. ''I'll be fine. It hurts a little, but it's okay. I mean, Ricky could've taken someone's eyes out with his claws.''

''At least he didn't bite someone's head off,'' Springtrap said dryly, with Sam giving him a strange look. Springtrap realized that, depending on the situation, Ricky could also do serious damage to someone's head with those jaws.

''I guess I was lucky he just got my arm,'' Sam said half-heartedly, with Springtrap assuming that she actually tried to joke, but failed. Springtrap sighed, falling silent as he closed his eyes. Sam felt worried about him. ''Will, are you hallucinating again?''

''No, I'm not,'' Springtrap replied, giving her a pained look. ''I just feel tired and I would like to be alone for a while.''

''William…''

''Sam, I'll be fine,'' Springtrap said in a firm tone, cutting her off. He noticed that she was quite worried about him.

''William, seriously, if there's anything you want me to talk about, I'm here,'' Sam replied in the same tone. Springtrap shook his head, standing up.

''Sam, I said I want to be alone,'' he said, rising his voice. He turned towards Sam, his eyes flaring purple. He noticed that Sam looked quite unsettled by his reaction, if not even scared. ''I'm sorry, but, I just need to be on my own, for now.''

''Okay,'' Sam muttered, leaving for upstairs.

Despite the fact that he hadn't threatened or hurt her, Springtrap felt bad for acting this way towards her. As he cleaned up, throwing the bloody towels into the trash can and returning the first aid kit to the bathroom, he just wanted to go back to Sam to apologize. However, he had other things in mind.

**xXx**

It was quite late and Springtrap knew that Sam had been already asleep, but he still checked on her before returning to the guest room. He closed the door, leaning his head against it. Static covered his vision again as he felt more and more disconnected from reality. The headache he felt grew stronger and he knew that he had to let the hallucination take over him this time. He closed his eyes, letting static and darkness overwhelm him.

At first, he felt nothing. It was quite cold though and he was aware that he was standing instead of being leaned against the door. He could see a faint light through his closed eyes and he slowly opened them. Instead of being at the guest room, he was in some kind of Freddy's location. It was empty and dark, and he couldn't see much aside from some tables, party hats and decorations. The only light source were the lights on the stage behind him. He then noticed that he was a human again, wearing a purple shirt, black trousers and a red tie. As he rolled up his sleeves, he noticed the scars covering his arms.

''Why am I here?'' he muttered, the question being directed to nobody. He wondered at first whether this was some kind of memory, but quickly realized that he didn't remember any of this. It was a different kind of hallucination.

He walked around, but as he tried to get further from the stage, he found himself returning back to it, as if he was in some kind of loop. He couldn't get out of this building, so he resigned himself to carefully observing everything that was here, even though there wasn't much to observe. Still, he felt unnerved by how realistic everything was, as if he was at a real location.

_This is just a hallucination. You're not at Freddy's._

_''You shouldn't be so sure about that.''_

''What-'' William looked around frantically, trying to find the source of the voice. However, it seemed to be coming from everywhere.

 _''You're a spirit, after all. Have you even thought about the possibility that all those so-called hallucinations might be real?_ '' the voice asked in a mocking tone. _''I thought you were some kind of genius!''_ The voice proceeded to laugh. _''Of course, you have no idea what can occur to your soul, so I guess I can't blame you.''_

''I know that I'm an animatronic now and that I'm still at the guest room at Sam's house,'' William told the voice. ''Unless you want to tell me that you managed to somehow separate my soul from the robot and bring me here.''

The voice didn't reply, with William wondering just how far from the truth he was. Or maybe his tormentor just hoped for him to have another breakdown over questioning what was real and what wasn't.

''It doesn't matter. I'm here now, so, what do you want from me?'' William said, looking at the darkness. _If I don't get some answers soon or do anything about it, I'll go crazy._

 _''Oh, but you are already insane!''_ the voice chuckled. William shook his head and ignored it. Whatever this entity was that spoke to him, he knew it wouldn't give him the information he desperately needed.

 He instead walked over to the stage, staring at it. It was quite small, large enough for maybe two or three animatronics. Clouds and stars were hanging from the ceiling and he noticed several ripped posters on it, as if someone wanted to hide the identity of the performers.

William crossed his arms and leaned against the table, having a feeling that the stage and the location was somewhat familiar. Oddly, it reminded him of Fredbear's Family Diner, but he knew that the location wasn't the diner.

He could still see Henry and himself standing next to two animatronics, Fredbear and Spring Bonnie, smiling at the camera as they announced the opening of their small diner. They were incredibly proud of their accomplishment, as it was something they managed to achieve together, as partners and co-workers.

_I can't believe that it's been so long since the opening._

His eyes widened and for a moment, he briefly saw Fredbear and Spring Bonnie on the stage, but as he attempted to approach them, they vanished. The stage was empty again, and so was the rest of this place. There was a strange feeling growing inside him. It wasn't the usual emptiness, but something else.

He felt lonely.

 _I guess it can't be helped._ In attempt to move away from the feeling of loneliness, he focused his thoughts on Sam. He was worried about her, wishing that he could so something, anything, to improve their current situation. He feared for her safety and felt responsible for her. Sure, it was probably strange for him to feel like this, to worry about a girl he only recently met, but a lot had happened and he was thankful that she vouched for him, despite the fact that it would've been better for her to stay as far away as possible from him.

_''I won't be fine if you leave.''_

He knew that safety should be top priority, but he couldn't help it when he remembered the smile she gave him when he messed her hair up back at Ricky's. She looked so happy that she was part of this mystery, even more that she had someone who could help her investigate it and whom she called her friend. He had promised to himself to keep her happy and content, but he sometimes wondered whether he should've even made that promise. He did feel that he accomplished something, but it just wasn't enough.

_What am I doing wrong? What am I even supposed to do?_

He suddenly heard footsteps, turning around. He frowned, realizing that he wasn't alone. The person soon walked into the light, revealing himself to be a man with short brown hair and a kind expression on his face, although, when he saw William, his expression changed to that of disappointment.

''It seems that I have underestimated you, William,'' Henry Emily said. William was shocked to see his old friend again. He then shook his head.

''There is no way that you're here,'' he said, with Henry giving him a questioning look. ''You're just another part of this hallucination.''

''You can believe what you want, William,'' Henry replied. ''Weren't you the one asking to talk to me? Now, here I am.''

''Maybe you really are here, but I could be just as well talking to myself, as this is all probably just in my head,'' William replied. A small smile formed on Henry's lips.

''Even if it is in your head, it doesn't mean that it is less real.''

''I disagree with that,'' William replied, frowning. ''It doesn't matter, as talking to a creation of my own mind is not the same as talking to a real person, even if they may be a spirit. However, I know that this is not a memory and I want to know what exactly is going on.''

Henry crossed his arms, glaring at William. He didn't look threatening, but William knew that underneath that calm exterior was a man capable of waging a war against whoever wronged him.

''I've been also searching for answers for ages,'' Henry told him. ''However, the man who had them would never provide them.''

William kept quiet. Henry glared at him, then sighed.

''I thought so.''

For all he said, William knew that, even if this was indeed the real Henry, it would take him a lot courage to look Henry in the eye and actually be able to talk to his old friend about what had happened. Telling Sam everything was one thing, as she never witnessed or was personally affected by what had occurred. However, Henry had lost everything thanks to William and spent the last days of his life trying to burn everything to the ground and make sure the past doesn't repeat.

Still, what if this wasn't his old friend? What if this wasn't Henry, but just another hallucination? William had to wonder whether, if this wasn't Henry, this conversation then even had a point. He looked over to the stage, placing his hands into his pockets.

''Do you even know who this entity is that is trying to make my life Hell? Because it is succeeding,'' he said.

''I cannot answer nor help you with that,'' Henry replied, much to William's surprise. ''This is something you will have to discover on your own. However, I doubt that, whatever is going on with your mind; those hallucinations, as you call them, that they will fade away.''

''I suppose that you're quite happy to see me suffer,'' William remarked as he turned to Henry, a bitter smile on his expression.

''It is obvious that someone is not satisfied with your newfound freedom,'' Henry replied, ignoring William's comment.

''Are you furious that I'm back?'' William asked, expecting to see frustration on Henry's expression. However, his old partner was calm as ever.

''I hoped you'd be finally gone and in Hell, but obviously, it wasn't meant to last,'' Henry said, narrowing his eyes. ''But yes, I hoped you'd be stuck in Hell forever. However, it seems like I cannot do anything anymore, as I did everything in my power to finally set your soul free from that metallic contraption.''

''I have to admit, your little trap was quite impressive. I never expected that you would go so far and turn another location into an incinerator. I guess the horror attraction must've given you that idea,'' William said in a slightly mocking tone, only for his expression to turn serious. ''I know that, once my soul leaves this new suit, I will land in Hell again, not matter what I do.'' He then grinned. ''Still, I plan to have my own Happiest Day before that.'' He then frowned, a bitter smile on his lips. ''After all, you had yours when you finally killed me for good.''

''That wasn't my Happiest Day,'' Henry replied. ''However, I was glad that I could free all of the souls that had been trapped, including yours. You, and everyone else, have spent too much time living in a nightmare you couldn't escape.''

''Honestly, I don't care that I've been living a nightmare as an animatronic,'' William replied. ''But what I do regret is that we couldn't have a talk before our final demise. Although, I doubt that it would've been much of a conversation.''

''I have to agree,'' Henry said, with William rising an eyebrow. ''Your plan for survival had several flaws, the biggest one being that having your soul attached to metal for too long would eventually drive you into insanity.''

''I doubt I had been sane even before I got myself trapped,'' William muttered. Henry snorted.

''You haven't been much of a dreamer or idealist as I was, but you were always stuck in your own world,'' he said, then shook his head. ''You spent too much time with your own creations, neglecting your family and your best friend.''

William went quiet. He went over this so many times, having played in his head numerous ''What if'' scenarios. Somehow, he couldn't find a satisfactory answer.

''You could've stopped me much earlier,'' he said, feeling a knot in his stomach. It sounded like he was shifting the blame onto Henry. ''You could've tried to stop me before I became a monster.''

''I didn't want to lose my faith in you,'' Henry replied. ''I hoped that you wouldn't be the one who caused that massacre. I trusted you!''

''You trusted the wrong person,'' William replied firmly. ''Instead of spreading joy, as you hoped for, you helped me create monsters.''

''I have to agree with you,'' Henry said, with William giving him a curious look. ''Perhaps, I could've stopped this madness much earlier. That was my mistake.''

''I guess that, despite calling ourselves best friends, we really didn't know each other,'' William replied. Silence fell between them, with William knowing that Henry had agreed with him. _We don't know each other._

''Still, there is one trait you're displaying just as you used to,'' Henry said, with William giving him a curious look. ''It is surprising just how determined you are, no matter how crazy the situation you got yourself into is.''

''Thanks,'' William said, smiling. ''Of course, sacrificing your own life to take me out was also stunning. Not many would be willing to face an inferno the way you did.''

''I didn't have anything left, considering you took away what I treasured the most,'' Henry replied, frowning. In the dim lights, he could see what he assumed to be cold indifference in William's dark eyes. ''Why did you do that? Why did you take my daughter away?''

William kept silent, with Henry assuming that the monster in the purple shirt that stood in front of him was probably contemplating what the best way to taunt him would be.

''I was jealous.''

Henry's eyes widened when William turned to him, looking him straight in the eyes with a determined look on his expression. He didn't expect this kind of response.

''I was jealous of you being happy, while I couldn't have the peace I desired,'' William said. ''I felt empty and bitter, and I didn't care what it would take me to finally be satisfied with my own life.''

''Did it make you happy to see me suffer?'' Henry asked. William shook his head.

''It wasn't enough,'' he replied. ''Nothing I've done was enough for me to be satisfied.''

''So, you want to say that being friends with Sam isn't satisfying you either?'' Henry asked. William fell silent, glaring at him. He clenched his fist.

''I won't let her suffer the same fate as everyone affiliated with me did,'' he said. Henry wouldn't have been surprised if his dark eyes started glowing suddenly.

''What makes her so different from everyone else? Isn't she just another tool you can use as means to achieve your sick goals?'' Henry asked him, with William being unresponsive, staring back at his old partner. Henry gave him a cold look. ''Or, are you trying to replace your own children with Sam?''

''My children are gone and nothing can replace them!'' William yelled, glaring at Henry. Rage was surging through his body. ''I'm not seeing Sam as my daughter…'' He trailed off, with an insecure look on his expression. ''Sam sees me as a friend and all I want is to repay her for giving me another chance.''

''You don't look really sure about that second chance you've been given,'' Henry pointed out, unperturbed by the fact that William yelled at him. William smirked.

''Actually, I am,'' he said. ''At least, I'm going to finish what I had planned and I am quite confident in my decision.''

Henry frowned.

''I fear for Sam's safety. Being with you, she might get hurt or murdered, or even have her soul trapped in another contraption,'' he said.

''I won't let that happen,'' William said in a quiet, threatening tone. Henry stared at him, his expression unreadable.

''There is something I don't understand,'' he said.

''What is it?'' William gave him a confused look. Henry shrugged, with William noticing that he briefly smiled.

''I leave it to you to figure it out,'' Henry replied. ''We may see each other again.''

William was still confused, not understanding what Henry meant, but then he smiled.

''I'm looking forward to it,'' William said. ''But, I would still like to know something. Are you really a hallucination or have you come back as well?''

Henry stared at him, as if he wanted to answer, but he didn't.

''End communication,'' he said, turning around and walking into the darkness. William observed him as he left, then closed his eyes, sighing.

When he opened them, he was standing in the middle of the guest room, once again taking the identity of Springtrap. He could see his glowing purple eyes being reflected in the window. Oddly, he didn't feel particularly upset by this encounter, but it was a lot to process. He had to wonder whether this really happened or if it was just one of his delusions.

_If it wasn't a delusion… Well, I hope I managed to give you some kind of answer, Henry._

He then looked at the door, briefly hesitant, but then walked out of the room and entered Sam's bedroom. She didn't stir as he approached and crouched next to her. He observed her quietly, noticing how peaceful Sam seemed to be. She didn't seem to have any nightmares, nor did she seem to be in pain. He was glad to see her so calm and serene.

He lifted his hand, reaching out for her. He hesitated for a moment, but then caressed her hair, with Sam looking undisturbed, not waking up. He then backed away, but was still crouching next to her, his expression changing from content to weary.

''I'm sorry,'' he whispered.

**xXx**

He just had finished placing the grey suit with brown and red splatters on it on the endoskeleton. He wiped his forehead, looking tired, but content. His hand was bloody, the dark blood trickling down his fingers and dripping on the floor. He stepped back, looking at the animatronic, waiting for something. He hoped it would work and that everything he did would finally pay off.

''Get up,'' he said in a firm, commanding tone. The animatronic didn't respond. He frowned. ''I said, get up. GET UP!''

Still nothing. He slammed his hand on the table, completely furious and not caring about the sharp pain he felt. _Why doesn't it work?! It was supposed to work!_

As he calmed down, he realized that there may be a reason why the animatronic wouldn't get up. Something was missing. What he had done wasn't enough. He needed something else.

_Or, someone else._


	13. Just An Attraction

**Night 12**

**Just An Attraction**

_''They left you in charge, but in here I call the shots. Tonight, you're staying with a monster in the dark. So, go check your screens, play sounds or scream. You're just an attraction in my amusement park!''_

_– **Just An Attraction** by TryHardNinja_

**xXxXxXx**

Sam was standing in front of the mirror in her room, holding her injured arm up and looking at it as if it was some kind of accessory. She looked at it curiously, then sighed, making an annoyed look, her fingers hovering over the bandages, but she quickly pulled them back. Her arm felt a little sore, but it didn't hurt her. Instead, she was faced with a different problem, wanting to take the bandages off because it felt a little itchy. She knew it was just her skin growing back and that it would probably take a week for her injuries to fully heal, but still, she wanted to scratch her arm. On the other hand, it didn't really look that bad on her arm. It made her feel like an character from an anime that revolved around fighting.

''It doesn't look that bad,'' she said, turning to Springtrap, who was sitting on her bed. He still had that look of guilt, feeling responsible for her injuries. Sam rolled her eyes. ''You know, I often used to come back home with bruises and small cuts I got from my urban explorations.''

''Have you ever gotten an injury that was as bad as this one?'' Springtrap asked.

''…No,'' Sam said sheepishly. Springtrap groaned, leaning back against the wall and closing his eyes. ''Springtrap, I have already told you that this one is my fault. I got careless.''

''If there's anyone who got careless, it was me,'' Springtrap replied, opening his eyes and looking at her. ''I was responsible for your safety.''

''Let's just agree on that we were both at fault for not being more careful,'' Sam suggested. ''I really don't want to argue about this and we have something else to worry about.''

''I am not looking forward to tomorrow,'' Springtrap said, giving Sam an anxious look. Emma had called them earlier to check on Sam, who didn't tell her about her injured arm, and confirming that she would be back tomorrow morning. The moment he heard her voice, he felt chills in every part of his animatronic body and human soul. He couldn't understand just how he could get so easily freaked out by Sam's mother. ''I told her I wouldn't let you get hurt and, well, you saw what happened.''

''Don't worry, I'll deal with Mum,'' Sam said. ''I think that she'd be more worried about the idea that you were the one who hurt me.''

''I wouldn't…'' Springtrap trailed off, suddenly remembering what happened the previous night and how he almost crushed her arm, even if it was an accident. He shook his head. ''No. I took responsibility for your safety and I told Emma that. Therefore, I'll deal with her tomorrow.''

''I hope you're ready for the Hell she's going to unleash on you,'' Sam said, with Springtrap giving her a horrified look. He buried his head into his hands, knowing full well that he wasn't ready to deal with Emma and her reaction to what happened. He then looked up as Sam sat next to him. ''Aw, com'n, you'll be fine.''

''I'm not convinced,'' he said in a deadpan tone, noticing Sam's worried look. He sighed. ''But, I guess I'll somehow manage it.'' This seemed to comfort her a little, but she still looked worried, so he figured he should change the topic. ''Anyways, do you have any kind of plan for today?''

''Not really,'' Sam said, pausing a little to think about it. She then smiled. ''Hey, I almost forgot! It's been a week since you arrived here.''

''Really? It feels like ages have passed and not a week,'' Springtrap said, surprised.

''Well, when we went to the Machinations Factory, it was Sunday, as well as Night 5,'' Sam said, counting on her fingers as she tried to make sure she did the correct calculation. ''If you go back five days and add one more,… yeah, I think I'm right.'' She then took out her phone. ''Yep, it's Tuesday.''

''It still feels like it's been much longer,'' Springtrap said.

''I guess that's because of all things that happened,'' Sam replied. ''Speaking of which, I wonder when Ricky's plans to hire a new night guard.''

''They don't need one next to those animatronics,'' Springtrap said, frowning. ''Considering their performance last night, I wouldn't be surprised if another bloody corpse is found at Ricky's.''

''At least last night wasn't a waste of time,'' Sam said. ''We know that there's a hidden room at Ricky's and that something is inside it.''

''The only problem is that we have no idea how to access it,'' Springtrap said dryly.

''We'll figure something out,'' Sam said, with Springtrap giving her a curious look. ''What's wrong?''

''It just surprises me how easily you have bounced back from what happened last night. You act as if your injury never happened.''

''Well, what should I do? Cry and whine about it until rays of Heaven shine down on me and an angel descends to comfort me?'' Sam asked sarcastically. She then grinned. ''Seriously, it takes a lot more to stop me from doing what I want.'' She was a little confused by the serious and hesitant look Springtrap gave her. ''Springtrap, what-''

''I just wondered what exactly would take it to stop you from getting yourself into trouble, although, I don't think either of us wants to know the answer,'' he said, with Sam falling silent. ''Besides, wasn't I the one who suggested we go visit that place?''

''Didn't we just talk about this already?''

''Sam, I simply want to say that you shouldn't be defending me the whole time,'' Springtrap replied.

''I'm not sure if you have noticed, but lately, the only person I've been defending you is from yourself,'' Sam replied. ''Or tell me that someone else is putting so much pressure on you that you're starting to see everything that goes wrong as being your fault for not trying harder to be a better person.''

''I told you that I'm sometimes having hallucinations that aren't part of my memories,'' Springtrap said, with Sam nodding. ''Whenever I have one of those hallucinations, I constantly hear a voice I cannot recognize. Whoever they are, they're trying their best to torment me as much as possible. It drives me crazy!''

''And they never told you why they're torturing you?'' Sam asked, feeling sorry for him.

''I guess they're doing it because of my past,'' Springtrap said, falling silent for a moment. ''Say, do you have any idea if there's a way to confirm that I am really talking to an entity rather than some kind of hallucination my own mind created?''

Sam shrugged, a bit thrown off by this question.

''Have you ever tried an Ouija Board?'' she suggested, smiling sheepishly when Springtrap gave her an _Are you kidding me?_ look. ''Hey, I'm not an expert, but I really do want to help you. Try to think about what that entity told you, maybe there is a way to figure out who they are.''

''Honestly, I don't know,'' Springtrap replied. Sam frowned, feeling annoyed.

''I wish I had a word with that entity, so I could tell them my opinion,'' she said. Springtrap grinned.

''Considering your attitude, I doubt that they would want to confront you,'' he said. ''You'd probably shut them down in no time.''

''Exactly,'' Sam said in a confident tone.

''There is one more thing. The reason I asked you that question earlier wasn't because of that entity, but because during my hallucination, I somehow ended up talking to Henry,'' Springtrap explained, with Sam looking intrigued.

''What did he say?'' she asked.

''We've just been talking about what happened. He wasn't happy to see me and he was worried about you,'' Springtrap replied. ''I believe that he thinks that I'll end up going the same path as before, no matter what I do, and that you'll end up getting hurt because of me. Although, let's be honest, you did get hurt.''

''William…''

''Nevertheless, I still have no idea whether that was really Henry, or my mind was just messing with me,'' Springtrap added.

''What do you think?'' Sam asked in a sympathetic tone. Springtrap sighed.

''I'm not sure, as a part of me wishes that that was indeed just another delusion,'' he said. ''However, I do hope that it really was him.''

He noticed that Sam was smiling, but didn't understand why. Still, the look of sympathy on her expression was enough for him to calm down. He felt much better now that he had told her that. Sam then stood up, with Springtrap being a little unnerved by the sly grin she was giving him.

''So, ready for the madness?'' she asked. He frowned.

''What are you up to now?''

''You asked me whether I had a plan for today and I remembered that there was one place I wanted to visit,'' Sam explained. Springtrap had a bad feeling about this.

''What is that place?'' he asked.

''It's a secret,'' Sam said. ''I don't know whether I would be able to visit it again, so I thought that we could check on it.''

''Is there any chance that there's something dangerous?'' Springtrap asked. Sam looked a little hesitant, but then nodded.

''Well, it poses more danger to me than to you, but you'll understand what I mean once we get there,'' Sam said. Springtrap was a little unnerved by her calm attitude, fearing that she might get hurt again, especially since he had no idea where she wanted them to go or what might happen to them. Sam noticed this. ''Please, calm down a little. Seriously, if there's something that you should stress about, it's having to deal with my mum.''

''Honestly, I really don't need any of this,'' Springtrap said. ''Besides, if you know that you might get hurt, perhaps it's better to not go.''

''I never said that I would get hurt,'' Sam said, crossing her arms. ''I just said that there is something dangerous. But, like said, you will understand once we're there.''

''If you say so,'' Springtrap said reluctantly.

**xXx**

_''Disguised as a friend, but it's something that's sinister. Three decades of torment (breaks free), no longer a prisoner. Out for blood, out for blood, let's play a game! Cuts like a knife in the night, ooooh, wanna play?''_

Springtrap looked anxiously through the window at the landscape, listening to the music on the radio, the song being _Wanna Play – TryHardNinja (Child's Play)_. His ears were twitching, as he wondered where Sam was driving them. She was unusually silent during the whole ride.

_''Bring the blade, a brand new start, a deadly game. Are you afraid? He is toying with your mind, can you escape? Wanna play? Do you wanna, do you wanna, do you wanna, wanna play?''_

Sam was humming along with the music, seemingly relaxed. Springtrap wished that he was just as calm as her, but he just couldn't relax. He felt tense, as if something bad was going to happen if he asked anything. He was completely stressed out and just wanted to get over it.

As he stared out through the window, he felt that something was bugging him. Somehow, the more and more he looked, the more familiar the landscape became. However, he couldn't remember why it was so familiar.

Then, there was a flash of fire in front of his eyes, static briefly covering his vision. Instead of freaking him out, he felt a little confused.

_No, this isn't… Wait!_

He shook his head, taking a closer look at the surroundings as Sam slowed the car down. Suddenly, he remembered where they were going and why this place was so familiar to him. However, he didn't say anything until Sam parked her car in a more secluded spot that couldn't be seen from the road and was also close to their location.

''I guess you have already figured out what I wanted to tell you, didn't you?'' Sam asked him as they got out and she locked the car.

''Smartass,'' Springtrap said in a deadpan tone. ''Yeah, I do understand what you wanted to tell me.''

Sam led him to a fence that had an opening in it, with both of them going inside the fenced area. The location seemed to be an abandoned amusement park. Bushes and weed were growing all over the place and there was trash at some of the rides. However, it still looked relatively new, so it seemed to have been abandoned recently.

''You know, you could've told me that you wanted to visit Fazbear's Fright,'' Springtrap told Sam. ''Or at least what was left of it.''

''I figured that it would've been better if I kept it as a secret. After all, there are some things you need to figure out on your own,'' Sam said, with Springtrap briefly stopping, having been reminded of what Henry told him. However, he quickly resumed, listening to Sam. ''You've been constantly telling me how you're a danger to me, so I figured out that the next logic step would be visiting this place. Now, you're the main attraction.''

''I see,'' Springtrap said, crossing his arms on his back. There was a faint purple glow in his eyes as he tried to figure out how to respond to Sam's action. However, he really had no idea what to do or say. She was indeed right, as he was the only person who posed a danger to her at this place, yet he didn't want to hurt her. In the end, he figured that there was no reason to argue with her and to go just along with whatever she had in mind. ''Fine. What do you want to do?''

Sam's expression lit up like a Christmas tree. She looked like she was finally in her element.

''It's kinda obvious, but I would like to see the horror attraction,'' she said. ''However, I thought we could also explore a little more of this amusement park. I haven't seen much of it when I came here before.''

''I am actually curious why this whole place had been abandoned,'' Springtrap said as they made their way towards the horror attraction. ''Fazbear's Fright was the only building that burned down.''

''Well, the problem was that it didn't really attract people. I guess that the horror attraction was supposed to draw more visitors, but after the fire, things kinda fell apart,'' Sam explained, going over to the nearest booth and looking over the counter. There was only broken glass, leaves and some trash, but she seemed to be satisfied. Springtrap guessed that it didn't matter what she found, but what she experienced. He followed her, while she led him to one attraction to another.

''It feels like a waste,'' he said as Sam examined an old merry-go-round. The paint on the horses was chipped and the wooden boards were rotten, one even having a hole. ''Perhaps it could've been rebuilt.''

''I guess no one wants to waste money on something that wouldn't make any profit,'' Sam replied.

''To be honest, Henry never really though about profit when we opened Fredbear's Family Diner,'' Springtrap told her as they made their way over to another building. ''All he wanted was to entertain people, both adults and children.''

''I think that that's a great idea,'' Sam said as they entered the building, which seemed to be some kind of mirror maze. However, most of the mirrors had been shattered and there was glass everywhere. None of them were going inside, although they did take a look at it, with the light of Sam's flashlight being reflected by all the mirror shards and looking like they walked into a night club. Sam lowered it down.

''I wonder just how many years of bad luck someone would get with so many broken mirrors,'' Springtrap said. Sam then pointed at a graffiti next to them.

''Seems like someone did the math,'' she said. ''About 140 years of bad luck.''

She then giggled as they read the writing beneath it, with Springtrap also feeling amused.

_Dude, NOOOO!!!_

_I'll have bad luck in the afterlife!_

The rest of it was followed by some well-chosen curse words and some unknown symbols. The two then left, passing a small rollercoaster made for little children. Sam was tall enough to climb on it, but looking at the rusty tracks, she decided against it. As they walked around, Springtrap felt more and more relaxed, knowing that they were simply enjoying themselves. There was no one else around either, so they could just mess around and have fun.

Sam at some point managed to jump over the counter of a booth, which seemed to have housed some kind of shooting game, although the guns and targets had been ripped away, and looked back at Springtrap.

''So, do you want to play a game?'' she asked. He leaned against the counter, pointing at the holes in it.

''I'd love to, but you lack the necessary tools,'' he said. Sam giggled and jumped over the counter. ''I see why love urban exploration. As you said, you get to explore abandoned places and learn old stories or make new ones.''

''Exactly,'' Sam said. ''To be honest, none of my former friends was interested in this, and those who were would quickly run away once they realized what exactly they were getting themselves into. I wouldn't say that this isn't dangerous, and I would not explore places I knew for certain I could get seriously injured in, but they needed to live a little instead of staring at their phones or tablets and gossiping about other people.''

''Did they abandon you at some point?'' Springtrap asked curiously. Sam looked crestfallen.

''They did,'' she said. ''I convinced them that we could check out an abandoned asylum and they agreed to come with me. One of my former friend's older brother agreed to drive us there and would stick around until we had our fun. However, as we entered the building, someone suggested that we separate and explore each part of the building. I was left alone and, to be honest, I didn't mind it, as I felt I could be quicker with my exploration that way. However, when I returned to where we agreed to meet, no one was there.''

''Don't tell me…'' Springtrap's eyes widened and flared purple. He frowned.

''I waited for them for a while, but as it was getting darker, I realized that I was stranded alone near a town an hour or two away from my home,'' Sam sighed. ''Luckily, I had money for an Uber, who agreed to drive me back, especially after he found out about what happened and he even felt sorry for me, telling me how he wouldn't charge me the full price. I was angry at my friends, but they told me that they searched for me, but couldn't find me and thought that I had already left. They also told me that their phones weren't working when I attempted to reach them. Me, being a naive idiot, believed them.''

''That's disgusting,'' Springtrap said. ''Honestly, I would really like to have a little chat with your former friends and tell them what exactly I think of their actions.''

''Forget them,'' Sam replied. ''I don't care about them anymore and if they asked me for help, I would just tell them that they don't deserve it after what they did to me.''

Springtrap noticed that she continued looking around, but this time with less enthusiasm. However, it soon returned once they reached Fazbear's Fright. It was clear that, while people went inside, nobody bothered to clean the rubble in front of it. The side of the building had collapsed, exposing an air vent and a hallway and overall, it didn't look safe. Surprisingly, different than the other buildings and attractions, this one wasn't vandalised.

Springtrap could still remember the fire at Fazbear's Fright. It caught him off guard as he was trying to reach the office. The flames were licking the walls, burning down everything they reached. He had been lost in the maze of fire and smoke, but he still continued, eventually finding his way out through the office. He was stunned that Henry was capable of setting up something like this.

''Do you think that there is a way to enter it?'' Sam asked, looking at the entrance, that looked half-collapsed.

''You really want to get yourself killed, right?'' Springtrap told her sarcastically.

''I didn't mean to explore it. I know that the building might collapse, but I just wanted to see a bit of what's inside,'' Sam said.

''Well, there's that,'' Springtrap pointed at the wall on the side that had collapsed. Sam went over to it, looking at the uncovered hallway. It was black and burnt and there was rubble blocking a part of it, along with the air vent.

''To be honest, it is still incredible to imagine that you really went through this place in order to get Henry,'' Sam said, glancing at Springtrap. He noticed that she looked quite excited as she peered into the hallway, probably trying to figure out what part of the building this one had been. As they went around the building towards where the exit and the office was, Springtrap realized something. He hoped that it would work.

''Sam, could you wait here?'' he asked, pointing at the exit. ''I'll just go check inside to see whether it's safe. If I'm right, you may see this part of the building for yourself.''

Sam's eyes widened in excitement, with Springtrap feeling happy about it. He then checked the entrance, noticing that it was actually stronger than he anticipated, and entered the hallway. So far, it seemed to be safe. He then walked back outside and beckoned Sam to enter.

He could swear that Sam looked like a kid in a candy store when she entered the office. Her eyes were wide and she looked awed to be inside the horror attraction. Sure, the office was burnt from the fire and there was trash and rubble, but it seemed to have been in a better shape than the rest of the building. Sam quickly walked over to the air vent in the side of the office, crouching and illuminating it with her flashlight. She noticed that it had been blocked off by a piece of metal at the very end. She then stood up, noticing that the maintenance panels were missing, with the cables still hanging out. However, the chair Henry used to sit in was on the floor, albeit burnt and too damaged to be used. Nevertheless, she was still happy to be inside, at least until she realized something.

''Springtrap?''

Confused, she looked around. For some reason, the animatronic had been missing. Then, she looked back at where the monitors were, only to be startled when she saw the bunny looking at her from the other side of where the glass panel used to be. It was broken during the fire and there were some glass shards on the floor, so Springtrap could easily reach over and grab her.

''You scared me!'' she yelled at him, but didn't look really angry at him.

''And what else did you expect? This is a horror attraction,'' Springtrap replied. Sam had to agree with him. ''Of course, I'm the one calling the shots.''

''True,'' Sam said. ''To be honest, I'm still a little salty it didn't open, but I understand that there was a good reason for not letting the attraction open for the public.''

''At least you can say that you have indeed visited the attraction,'' Springtrap told her as she walked out of the office and joined him in the hallway. She pointed the flashlight at the rest of it, but after noticing an uncovered beam and more exposed wires, she decided to not go deeper inside.

''We should get out,'' she told Springtrap, who nodded. He stopped when he heard a clicking sound, followed by a flashing light, and saw Sam on her phone, having taken a photo of the office. She grinned slyly, shrugging.

''Hey, if they tear it down or if it falls apart, I want to at least have a photo of what it looked like after the fire,'' she told him.

''I'm not judging you,'' Springtrap replied as they walked outside. ''If you want to take more photos, go ahead.''

''No, I'm fine with this one,'' Sam shook her head. ''You know, some people make a video of their urban exploration. I just take a photo or two of what I discovered.''

''So, should we go back to the car?'' Springtrap asked. ''Or do you want to explore the rest of the place? It's your decision.''

''Well…'' Sam trailed off as they suddenly heard something that ruined her mood.

There were voices, multiple of them, and they were coming from the entrance. Sam and Springtrap hid behind the horror attraction, observing several people holding their phones and a bag with cans of beer. They seemed to be teenagers, two girls and three boys, all around Sam's age, if not a little older. They were talking loudly, one of the boys messing with a girl, who cried out and laughed in a high-pitched voice. One of the boys was holding a piece of metal, swinging it around like a baseball bat and acting as if he would hit his comrades, but instead hit the nearest booth, damaging the counter and causing everyone to burst out laughing.

''So much about having fun,'' Sam muttered, frowning. Springtrap felt bad for her, as he hoped that she could enjoy herself a little more. Instead, their little adventure was over. ''I just hope they haven't seen my car.''

''I don't think they did, else they'd be looking around for someone,'' Springtrap told her. However, looking at the teens, they seemed to be drunk enough to not care about the possibility of someone being here. They were here to have a party and cause a mess, not having to worry that they would be caught. ''Do you know them?''

''No,'' Sam replied, feeling annoyed. Urban exploration wasn't about damaging or vandalising abandoned places and she felt that such behavior sucked all the fun from the activity. ''But, I don't care. I think we should go home. I don't want to deal with them.''

''Wait.'' Sam looked at Springtrap, whose eyes were now glowing purple. ''Actually, we could stay a little longer and show them that they're not exactly welcome here.''

Sam tilted her head, then grinned as she realized what he meant and nodded.

**xXx**

''Smash it! Smash it!''

The two girls and boys were chanting, encouraging their third member as he attempted to break the glass panel on the booth. They cheered when it broke and started to pile their empty beer cans on the counter. One of the boys took the pipe from his friend and attempted to knock down the beer cans, only to miss. The rest laughed at him, while he cursed. He then threw the pipe away, cracking open another can of beer and lifting it up as if toasting.

''So, what do you want to do next?'' he asked them.

''How about that haunted house or whatever it is?'' one of the girls suggested.

''You mean the one that had been burned down?'' one of the boys asked her, with her nodding.

''Do you guys think that we could make a building-sized bonfire out of it?'' another boy asked, flicking a lighter.

''Dude, that's crazy! What if we get caught?'' the boy with the can of beer said, staring at his friend.

''Who cares? It was already burned down,'' his friend replied.

Suddenly, they heard a cracking sound, as if a branch broke. They almost jumped out of their skin, looking around.

''What was that?!'' the other girl in the group asked.

''No idea-''

''What if there are homeless people here?''

''What?!''

''Shhh, be quiet!''

They suddenly heard more sounds. Something cracked again and there was a sound of shattering.

''Dude, dude, someone's here!'' One of the boys grabbed the guy with the lighter, who shook his head.

''It's probably some kind of animal.''

''I want to go home!'' one of the girls cried. The guy with the lighter turned to her, glaring at her.

''Shut up!'' he hissed. ''There is nothing there!''

''Wh-'' He noticed her frightened expression. ''What's that?!''

As he turned around, he saw a figure in the dark. He and another boy were the only ones with flashlights on their phones, as everyone else had a dead battery. As he looked down, he noticed that the light on his smartphone suddenly turned off. They were now in complete darkness, the place being illuminated by the stars and the moon.

The figure, which was much taller than them, moved closer. They could see that it wasn't a human and that it's eyes were glowing purple. They were frozen in their spots, only to scream when they heard a terrifying shriek, a sound that was completely inhuman.

Somehow, they broke free and ran towards the entrance, cursing and crying as they attempted to enter the car. One of the boys fumbled with his keys, letting them fall out of his hands and had to search for them.

''Idiot!''

''Hurry up!''

He managed to find them and quickly unlocked the car, with all of them getting inside as he turned the car on.

''What the hell was that?!'' one of the girls asked.

''Who cares?! Drive!'' the boy who sat in the passenger seat yelled at the driver.

''I can't! Something's blocking it!'' his friend shouted frantically as he felt the car hitting something. One of the girls quickly got outside, her jaw dropping as she saw heavy stones put behind the tires.

''What the-?!''

The rest of them exited the car, staring at the stones in disbelief. Suddenly, they heard sirens, with a police car pulling behind their car and all of them freaking out as two officers approached them, being obviously unhappy with what they found.

However, none of them noticed a car on the road driving past them.

**xXx**

_''…Reincarnated fear, integrated, grated; True hatred never dies. It just waits – Wanna play?''_

''You know, driving while drunk is never a good idea,'' Sam said, grinning in satisfaction. ''I think I might've prevented them from getting into a car crash or driving off the road.''

''Aside from driving while drunk, they also looked about your age, so I would add underage drinking to the list, as well as trespassing, littering and vandalism,'' Springtrap said, having a smug expression. ''Maybe the police will have some additional charges, who knows?''

''You know, I didn't think it would be this kind of revenge, but I'm really glad about how things went down,'' Sam said. ''Aside from their appearance, the exploration was really awesome!''

''I'm glad about that. You deserve to have some fun without having to worry about anyone leaving you behind,'' Springtrap told her.

''I'm really happy that you're here,'' Sam replied. Springtrap felt quite content with what he had achieved. However, he looked crestfallen as he glanced at Sam's injured arm and thought about Emma.

_What am I supposed to tell her?_

''William?''

''Yes?'' Springtrap glanced at Sam, who gave him an assuring smile, knowing well what was bothering him.

''Don't worry, we'll figure something out,'' she said.

Springtrap nodded, hoping that she was right.

**xXx**

''Oh, hello? I'm sorry, I thought this was the break room.''

A woman in her early 20s looked flustered when she entered the room with the costumes, with her co-worker, who was inside it, shrugging.

''Don't worry, it's not like there's anything to be seen here,'' he told her. ''Just a few suits and masks.''

''So, you're the guy who takes care of the animatronics?'' she asked. The man nodded, observing her curiously. ''I'm sorry, I'm new here, so I don't know everyone's names. My name is Bella Curtis, by the way.''

''Nice to meet you, Bella,'' the man said, shaking her hand. ''I'm Connor Davis and, as you assumed, I'm Ricky's actor.''

''Cool! I always wondered who is underneath that mask,'' Bella said.

''I'm the main attraction as long as I have the mask on,'' Connor said, grinning. ''After I take it off, well, there is nothing remarkable about me.''

_That is, unless you count my little project._


	14. It's Time To Die

**Night 13**

**It's Time To Die**

_''Thirty years since all this happened, thirty years it took to rise. Blood on the floor and in their eyes, they took the bite and left them to die. Thirty years and now I'm here, the only one left to scream in fear. Your job means nothing when I've got you running away with blood in your tears. Take a look at me, can you see the death in my eyes? All the time you're waiting, I get stronger with power and force! It's not as if they're paying you much.''_

_– **It's Time To Die** by DAGames_

**xXxXxXx**

''We're dead.''

''Technically, you _are_ already dead,'' Sam said as she and Springtrap stared through the window at the car outside dropping Emma off. Springtrap looked at her, with Sam shrugging. ''You were the one who told me not to be so dramatic.''

''That was before I found out just how intimidating Emma can be,'' Springtrap replied. He felt nervous, but he knew that he had no choice. _Is Hell still an option?_

''Hey, snap out of it,'' Sam told him. ''It's not like it's the end of the world.''

''I feel like it is,'' Springtrap said. He shook his head, determined to not go down without a fight. ''It doesn't matter. I can handle it.''

''Sam!''

All the courage he had gathered quickly faltered the moment he heard Emma's voice. He glanced at Sam, who shrugged, feeling a little helpless. Sam quickly went downstairs, with Springtrap reluctantly following her. As Sam entered the kitchen, Emma instantly turned to her daughter, looking happy to see her, only for her expression to change once she noticed the bandages on her arm.

''What happened?'' she asked, frowning. Her attention then turned to Springtrap, glaring at the animatronic. ''I want an explanation.''  
''It's nothing bad,'' Sam said, with Emma looking back at her. ''I went to Ricky's and got scratched when Ricky attempted to grab me. It was just an accident.''

''Really?'' Emma rose an eyebrow, with Sam knowing that, while her mother did seem to believe her, she also knew that there was more to the story. To be honest, Sam didn't want to tell her that this all happened after hours. She also didn't like the fact that her mother was quite calm and not really angry at her for getting herself injured like this. ''I guess I should've expected something like this to happen. Even if those animatronics had been portrayed as safe, it doesn't mean that they are. Still, what do you have to say about this, _Springtrap_? You're really quiet.''

Even though Sam had predicted that her mother would antagonize and blame Springtrap for this, she still felt anxious, hoping that he would be able to handle it. However, the moment Emma confronted him, he looked completely lost. Sam had a feeling that their last confrontation affected him a lot more than they thought. He kept quiet at first, but then he looked back at Emma with a determined expression.

''I'm sorry, that was my fault,'' he said, with Emma narrowing her eyes, her arms crossed. ''I should've kept an eye on her.''

''Really? You should've kept an eye on her?'' Emma repeated, with Sam knowing that this will end bad for both of them. ''Why are you even telling that this is your fault? After all, Sam said that it was an accident and that it was that wolf animatronic hurt her. Right, Sam?''

''Yeah, that's what happened,'' Sam said, hoping her mother would calm down. However, the look she gave Springtrap made even her feel chills going down her spine.

''Or do you want to tell me something else?''

Springtrap stared at her in horror, unsure what to say. _Does she really think that I hurt Sam and made her lie about her injury?_

He knew that Emma would assume things based on his past and that he couldn't put up an act in front of her. He understood that she would never trust him, even if she let him stay here, and that he was on thin ice. He could understand that she would be suspicious of him once she saw that Sam was hurt and knew well that he had a long history of violence. The fact that he had accidentally hurt Sam didn't help him feel less guilty, even though he didn't mean it and was simply influenced by a hallucination he couldn't control.

However, he had apologized. He had shown that he felt bad for what happened to Sam and that he wanted to fix things. He tried to make her feel better and so far, the only person who was stressing her out was her own mother.

He clenched his fist, frustration growing inside him and his eyes glowing in a soft purple. He saw Emma's stern expression, knowing that she hated him. He could see the fear in Sam's eyes, knowing that she was worried about him and his mental and emotional state.

''Sam, how about going out for lunch?'' Emma turned to her daughter, who looked startled.

''Well, um… I did already eat, so…'' However, looking at Emma, she knew that she didn't really have a choice. ''Sure, why not?''

''Okay, then,'' Emma said in a cheerful tone, as if nothing happened, with Sam feeling sick about leaving Springtrap alone.

As they walked out of the house, with Emma paying no attention to the animatronic, Sam could see how hurt and heart-broken Springtrap was. He looked as if his whole world collapsed right in front of him. This day went from bad to a nightmare. She was unable to help or respond to him in any way. All she could do is to somehow persuade her mother to reconsider everything.

Springtrap stared through the window, his ears twitching as he heard the car leaving. He felt nothing but rage.

''Damn it!'' He punched the wall next to him in frustration. His eyes were flaring purple.

He was well aware of what Emma was doing. She wanted to keep Sam away from him, fearing that he would hurt her in some way if she let them stay alone at home. He knew that he didn't act exactly like an innocent person, but he didn't hurt her. He hoped that he could explain to Emma what was going on, but it was obvious that that wouldn't happen. She wanted him out of her and Sam's life and she would do anything to achieve that.

_Just let me explain…_

_''If she won't listen, then kill her.''_

Springtrap's eyes widened in shock, seeing only darkness surrounding him. That entity was back.

**xXx**

Sam kept silent as Emma drove through the town, feeling a knot in her stomach. She was worried about Springtrap and what her mother planned for him. All she wanted to do was to return back home and tell Springtrap that everything will be fine, but she knew that that was a lie. Suddenly, they stopped and Sam was surprised to see that they were in front of a drugstore.

''Wait here,'' Emma told her, exiting the car. Sam nodded, watching her mother entering the drugstore and a few minutes later coming out carrying antiseptic wipes, gauze and bandages. She put it in the back and sat down, driving away. ''Just wait a bit, I will check on your wounds. Honestly, I doubt that they are not a big deal.''

''Well, my arm just feels a little sore and itchy, but that's it,'' Sam replied, looking at her bandaged arm.

They stopped at a parking lot in front of a supermarket, with Emma exiting the car and walking over to Sam's side. She took the bandage and gauze off, with Sam noticing that the smaller scratches had healed, although there were still red markings. The bigger scratch was still red and in the process of healing, but it didn't look as bad as she thought it would be. She looked at her mother, who observed her arm, looking relieved. Sam guessed that she thought that the wounds would be even worse.

''Seems like this is healing nicely, but it isn't something you can just put a band-aid on,'' Emma said, attempting to joke a little, with Sam just giving her a half-hearted smile. Emma continued with cleaning and wrapping her arm up. ''You did a good job on patching yourself up.''

''Actually, Springtrap did that. The moment he saw me injured, he quickly helped me out,'' Sam replied. Emma's smile dropped, her eyes narrowing. She continued to wrap the bandage around her arm in silence. ''Mum…''

Suddenly, Emma hugged her, with Sam accepting, feeling her eyes tearing. She blinked the tears away, knowing that she needed to talk to her mother. She was determined to convince her mother that Springtrap was indeed her friend and that he wouldn't hurt her. Emma finally let her go, tucking her bangs behind her ear and smiled softly.

''I'm just glad that you're okay,'' she said. ''I love you, sweetie.''

''I love you too,'' Sam replied, feeling bad for her mother. Even though she didn't show it, she was probably incredibly worried about Sam while she was away. ''I'm fine.''

Emma's eyes narrowed, her expression becoming serious.

''Sam, did he hurt you? What exactly happened? Don't be afraid, you can tell me everything,'' she asked her. Sam stared straight into Emma's eyes.

''No, Springtrap didn't hurt me. As I already told you, I got grabbed by Ricky while in animatronic mode and I got scratched when I ripped my arm out of his grip,'' Sam replied. Emma stared at her in silence, before finally nodding.

''Okay, but why would Springtrap claim that this was his fault?'' Emma asked her.

''Because he feels responsible for my safety and he was really upset that I got hurt,'' Sam explained, relieved that her mother was listening to her. ''It was just an accident, but he was so stressed out that he began to blame himself for it.''

''I see,'' Emma muttered. She sighed. ''Sam, I understand that you see him as your friend, but I'm simply not convinced. Even if he didn't hurt you, what says that he wouldn't do it when you're not expecting it?''

''No…'' Sam bit her lip.

''I know,'' Emma said in a gentle tone. ''Sweetie, I want your best and I want to keep you safe. That's the only important thing to me.'' She shook her head, smiling. ''Honestly, I cannot trust anyone about keeping you safe but myself, and even then… I mean, you aren't a child, but you aren't an adult either, so I have no idea what kind of decisions I should let you make.'' She then pouted. ''Although, I doubt I should let you make decisions that could possibly endanger your life.''

''You let me go on my urban explorations…''

''But, not with a serial killer accompanying you,'' Emma told her. ''There is a difference.''

''So, what's going to happen now?'' Sam asked.

''Now, we are going to get lunch,'' Emma replied. ''So, what do you want?''

''Pizza,'' Sam said, sounding a little unsure. Emma patted her on her head and walked back to the driver's seat.

''Okay, pizza it is,'' she said as she drove out of the parking lot.

Sam gave her mother a curious look. Emma didn't directly tell her about what would happen to Springtrap, despite obviously making it clear that she doesn't like him. Sam wondered if he still would be given one more chance.

She sincerely hoped that he would.

**xXx**

Springtrap looked around, slightly freaked out by the darkness. It should've cleared by now, showing him where he was, but there was nothing there. He tried to find the source of the voice, the entity that had been torturing him ever since he arrived here. However, it was impossible. All he could hear is that cursed voice.

''Who are you?'' he asked, looking around. ''What do you want from me?''

_''Did you really think that I would leave you alone when it became really interesting?''_

''How is this interesting?''

_''It is always satisfying to see you having a mental breakdown.''_

''Well, I'm glad you're entertained,'' Springtrap said sarcastically. ''Now, what do you want?''

_''I'm just curious about what you're going to do about your situation. Emma keeps Sam, your only friend, away from you and will kick you out. So, what do you plan to do?''_

''I…'' Springtrap frowned. Honestly, he didn't know. He had hoped that, once they return, that he could talk it out with Emma. He was sure that she would acknowledge and understand his situation once they let the argument cool down. Still, even if Emma did it for her own safety, seeing a reluctant Sam being taken away affected him quite a lot.

_''As I said, you could always get rid off Emma. That way, you could spend as much time with Sam as you want, as no one would dare to get in between you.''_

''Are you crazy? I'm not going to murder Emma!'' Springtrap shouted angrily at entity. ''Besides, Sam would hate me if I did that.''

_''Oh, but isn't there a way to keep her by your side permanently, even if she doesn't want it?''_

Springtrap's eyes glowed purple, but he remained silent.

_''It's quite easy, isn't it? Just murder Sam as well, attach her soul to something that you can carry around and she will have no choice but to follow you. As I said, it's easy!''_

The entity laughed. Springtrap's eyes were now flaring up, with him clenching his fist.

''I'm not going to do that!'' he yelled at the voice. ''Only because I used to destroy other people's lives doesn't mean that I would destroy her life as well! This is not how it works!''

 _''But, it still would be easier for you…''_ the entity said in a whiny tone. Springtrap wondered if it was just messing with him or if it really wanted to see him slaughter his friend and her mother.

''I refuse,'' he said in a cold, calm and stern tone.

_''You didn't refuse when you killed all those other people.''_

''Only because I had done something in the past doesn't mean that I'm going to repeat it,'' Springtrap replied.

 _''Maybe, but you have no choice. You're gonna get kicked out and you will have no one to help you!''_ the entity said in a mocking tone. _''You aren't the most mentally stable person around. I can't wait for you to finally give into your bloodlust. Say, don't you miss the blood on your hands?''_

''Shut up!''

_''I won't! Besides, what are you going to do? You can't harm a hallucination!''_

''I sincerely doubt you are one.''

 _''Then, what am I?''_ the entity asked, then laughed. _''Oh, yeah, you have no idea. You don't even know what I'm capable of. Good luck with stopping me from doing whatever I want with you.''_

''I doubt that,'' Springtrap said, with the entity stopping laughing. ''All you do is causing me hallucinations. You cannot force me to do anything.''

There was silence, with Springtrap knowing that he was right. _None of this is real._

''So, do you have anything to say?'' Springtrap added when the entity didn't answer, with a smug smile on his expression. ''I am not your puppet and you cannot control me. Tough luck, I guess.''

_That might be the reason why it goes after me when I'm at my lowest, as he cannot manipulate me otherwise._

_''You really have no idea what you're talking about,''_ the entity said in a cold tone. Springtrap frowned.

''What do you mean?''

_''Do you really think that those hallucinations are really hallucinations or delusions? You're wrong.''_

''What?''

_''All those hallucinations, or as I'd rather call them, nightmares, are real.''_

''I doubt that.'' Springtrap thought back on his conversation Henry. _But, what is the chance that that was really him? It… It just can't be…_

 _''Poor Springy…''_ Springtrap's eyes flared purple when he heard the entity mocking him again. _''You can't even trust yourself. Luckily, it won't last long and you will have exactly what your want – your Happiest Day.''_

''What do you mean?'' Springtrap could feel the anxiety slowly creeping up.

_''Don't worry, it's okay. You won't have to suffer any longer.''_

Springtrap had no idea what was going on, but it felt as if the entity's attitude suddenly changed. It wasn't mocking him anymore, but it sounded more cold, assured. Springtrap felt unnerved by it, fearing that he said something he shouldn't have.

_''Everything you see is real. No matter what you tell yourself, it is obvious that you haven't changed a bit. You're just waiting for your opportunity.''_

''No…''

_''How did you feel when you saw Sam, your Sam, being taken away from you? Angry, confused? You hated Emma for doing that. She took her away without an explanation. You even saw Sam protesting.''_

''True, but…''

_''Please, you don't care about Emma's life at all. All what you want is your precious friend.''_

In a way, Springtrap knew that the entity was right. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that his fear was only because of the threat that Emma would take Sam away from him, and now, she did.

_''Sam didn't look happy either, and you said that you would keep her happy.''_

''I did…''

He could still remember the look she gave him. She looked so pale, so miserable, wanting everything to be over. She wanted for them to get along, but Emma refused that. Springtrap understood why Emma was so protective, but he had to wonder whether there was a limit to it. He frowned.

''She didn't even let me explain myself,'' he muttered.

 _''Exactly,''_ the entity said in a stern tone. _''Why should she even listen to you? She already knows what you are.''_

''No.'' It dawned Springtrap that Emma never really gave him a chance. She didn't want to give him any. She was just waiting for him to make a mistake so she could have an excuse to make him leave.

_''You don't want to lose Sam, do you?''_

''No, I don't.'' He could feel rage rising inside him, along with the familiar feeling of excitement whenever he saw blood, whenever he killed. He greeted it like an old friend.

_''So, what are you waiting for? Here, I'll help you out.''_

A kitchen knife appeared in his hand, the tip of the blade red, with fresh blood dripping from it. Springtrap stared at it, his grip around the handle tightening as if he was considering it.

_''Don't worry, everything will be over soon. Then, you can enjoy your Happiest Day.''_

''No.'' Springtrap shook his head, dropping the knife. The sound of metal hitting the ground echoed through the room. His eyes were glowing brightly as he looked around, greeted only by silence. ''You know, I don't like being manipulated by people. So, keep your mouth shut and leave me alone.''

The entity kept silent, with Springtrap wondering if he finally managed to make it leave, despite still standing in the darkness.

''Is there anything you want me to tell?'' he asked. He was met with silence. His ears twitched, with him being confused.

_Am I really alone here?_

He took a step forward, realizing that there was nothing there. He was truly alone.

_There is nothing there for me._

**xXx**

''So, that's what you two have done?'' Emma looked in surprise at Sam, then shook her head, albeit with a smirk on her expression. ''Well, it was a good idea in hindsight. Lessons need to be taught.''

''Aside from that, I had a lot of fun,'' Sam said. ''I have no idea when the last time was that I enjoyed urban exploring so much.''

The two were sitting in a corner at the Mamma Mia pizza place, with a half-eaten pizza in front of them. Sam grabbed another piece, as she felt suddenly hungry the moment she caught the scent of pizza from the open stone oven that was located in the corner.

''I'm glad you had fun,'' Emma said. ''Honestly, I still can't figure out how you manage to find those abandoned places, nor why you're not afraid of going there alone.''

''Well, I'm not the only one who does that and besides, Springtrap was with me,'' Sam said. ''I kinda had to prove him a point.''

She had just told her mother what happened the previous night. Even though Emma seemed to be a little annoyed that Sam attempted to enter a building that might've been on the brink of collapsing, she laughed when Sam told her that she called the cops on the teens that attempted to vandalise the place. However, she kept silent about Springtrap's involvement in this whole thing.

''Anyways, that was it. We didn't stay around to see the end result, but I wish we did,'' Sam added. ''So, did you get everything done?''

''Yeah, I did. Me and Adam put everything at the storage, and Cassie will close the shop for today. She told me to take the rest of the day off and spend it with you since I had no time the previous few weeks,'' Emma said, with Sam feeling a knot in her stomach. ''Although, I have noticed that you'd rather spend time with your friend.''

''Mum, I…''

''Don't worry, I'm not going to repeat myself since I know how it is whenever you get told the same thing over and over again. We have already established that he's a dangerous person and that I was worried about you the whole time,'' Emma said. ''However, what I don't understand is why you're still trying to be his friend. I know that you already told me that he does want to become a better person, but I have a really bad feeling about this. I don't see any kind of change and he isn't the most stable person to be around. I understand that you want to help him and usually, I'd be with you, but when I came back home and saw you with that injury, I thought that he abused you in some way.''

''Yeah, I feared that this is what it would look like,'' Sam said, sighing. ''To be honest, he told me the same thing. If I was unhappy with his presence, he would leave. Hell, I had to argue with him about staying.''

''Seriously? Someone would think that he would refuse to leave,'' Emma said, rising an eyebrow.

''Well, he kinda sounded like you when you lectured me about stranger danger when I was a little girl. Only that he was talking about himself,'' Sam said. Emma gave her a curious look.

''Now, this may sound a little weird, but was he ever a parent? Did he tell you anything about his family?'' she asked.

''Yeah, he had three kids.''

''What happened to them?''

''He doesn't really want to talk about it,'' Sam replied, wondering why her mother asked her that.

''I see,'' Emma muttered. Sam had a feeling that her mother already knew that she was hiding information, but for now, she seemed to be satisfied with the answer.

''So, Mum, what about… well…'' Sam muttered, not exactly sure how to ask her mother what would happen to Springtrap.

''For now, I will let him stay, as I have a few questions for him,'' Emma said. Sam stared at her in surprise. ''Since I'll be staying at home for a while, I guess I could try to get to know him a little better.'' She then leaned closer to Sam. ''So, stop with that fake smile. I understand that you were excited about your little adventure, but not even you get this enthusiastic.''

''Sorry,'' Sam said sheepishly. ''I know that you're not comfortable with seeing me like this.''

''As said, I want you to be happy and safe, without any accidents,'' Emma told her. ''Can you at least promise me that?''

''Yeah, I can,'' Sam said confidently. She felt happy that she managed to resolve things and that her mother decided to listen to her. Sure, she didn't completely solve the problem, but she did hope that at least everyone would be a little less stressed. After all, the whole situation could be talked out and explained.

Still, she didn't look forward to watching Emma question Springtrap about his past. Unlike her, her mother was relentless and something told her that, even of Springtrap managed to confront her without getting stressed out, she wouldn't budge until she got what she wanted.

**xXx**

It was late evening as Emma and Sam finally returned home. Springtrap stared at the car from the window in the guest room, his eyes glowing purple and his expression cold. Sam exited the passenger seat, holding a bag, with Emma parking the car in the garage. He could hear the door opening downstairs, but he remained in the guest room. His ears twitched due to the brief silence, and then he heard Sam and Emma's voices as they talked about something. He didn't want to know what it was. Then, he heard steps on the stairs, with the door opening and Sam entering the room.

He glanced up, noticing that she looked quite happy and relieved. _What happened?_

''Are you okay?'' Sam asked. Despite her look of joy, Springtrap could hear the concern in her tone.

''Not really,'' he replied. ''So, should I leave?''

''No,'' Sam replied, with Springtrap giving her a confused look. ''She will let you stay, but as long as she gets to question you.''

''I should've seen that one coming,'' Springtrap said dryly.

''Well, at least I managed to convince her that you don't want to hurt me,'' Sam said. ''Now, it's your turn. Although, she's a lot less forgiving than I am.''

''I noticed,'' Springtrap said, sounding a little irritated, with Sam giving him a worried look. ''Could you please just leave me a little alone, at least for now? I just have some things to think about.''

''Okay,'' Sam said hesitantly and leaving, with Springtrap being fully aware that she didn't want to leave him alone and that she probably feared he would have another mental breakdown.

_It would be better for her if she stays away from me._

He stayed inside the room, staring through the window at the nearby woods and ignoring the constant static flickering in front of his eyes. His mind was blank as he listened to the voices downstairs. When Sam later came to wish him ''Good night'', he simply turned around and nodded, then went back to staring through the window. Emma, however, didn't enter the room at all.

_They should be cautious…_

He could see it so clearly, a small, windowless room, hidden from everyone. A trail of blood was leading to a body hidden behind a box. He stood over it, his suit covered in blood. He was holding a knife in his hand.

_Can they really trust me?_

Instead of the starry sky, all he saw was the lights of their eyes. They were coming for him, but he knew that they couldn't harm him. He would always be out of their reach.

_What can we use to end this right?_

The pain was nothing in comparison to what he had achieved. He may be dead, but he wasn't gone. He was still here, at this location. This was his new home.

_A horror ride built just for me…_

He was walking towards the office, his confidence and determination growing with each step. He would eventually find the night guard and show him why he shouldn't be messing with him.

_I won't forget…_

His eyes widened, flaring purple as he saw the man. His eyes were obscured by the cap and he gasped when he saw the animatronic entering the room. Springtrap grabbed his throat, lifting him and slamming him against the wall.

_It's time to die!_

Static flickered in front of his eyes as he grinned, enjoying the feeling of power as he watched the life being drained from the man's eyes. However, the feeling of satisfaction disappeared suddenly when he heard a loud high-pitched shriek.

_This isn't Henry!_

Static flickered in front of his eyes, which widened in shock. In front of him was Sam, struggling to free herself as he choked her to death.


	15. All Is Hell

**Night 14**

**All Is Hell**

_''I was lost and was afraid, I believed all of their lies. I believed that I was safe and that I would never die. Now I'm all alone, I've been hiding in the dark. I just want to go home, but my deeds sent me too far.''_

_– **Afton Family** by KryFuZe_

**xXxXxXx**

Sam was half-asleep as she heard someone entering the room, noticing a faint purple light. She rubbed her eyes, seeing the animatronic bunny staring at her silently.

''Springtrap?''

Suddenly, he lunged at her, grabbing her neck and pinning her down. She shrieked, unable to breathe as she struggled to free herself. She tried to pry his fingers away from her neck, but his grip was too strong. It felt as if he was crushing her windpipe.

''No…''

Suddenly, his empty eyes flared purple and he backed away, just as shocked and scared as she was. Sam sat up, coughing and trying to catch her breath. Her heart was racing.

''Sam, I…''

''DON'T TOUCH ME!''

Sam screamed at Springtrap as he reached out for her. He could see tears in her eyes as she backed away from him, shaking and looking completely terrified of him. Instead of a friend, she saw the monster that he was.

There was a loud bang, both of them getting startled when Emma suddenly opened the door. She looked both furious and mortified, rushing over to Sam and hugging her. Sam was crying as her mother whispered comforting words, trying to calm her down.

''Everything's going to be okay…''

Springtrap stood in the corner of the room, away from them. He was in a state of shock, not knowing what to do nor what to say.

_I almost killed her…_

That was the only thought in his mind, repeating over and over again. Sam's scream was still echoing in his head. Hadn't she screamed, he believed that he would've woken up with Sam's lifeless body in his arms. _No…_

Then, as Sam slowly calmed down, Emma looked towards him, showing pure hatred and disgust.

''I-I'm sorry…'' he mumbled.

''Out of my house, NOW!'' Emma yelled at him, completely livid. ''I said, GET OUT!''

Springtrap was startled, staring at her in horror, but then quickly exited the room. He was shaking all the way downstairs, unlocking the door and walking outside, his mind completely blank. He could still see the terror in Sam's eyes, feeling as if this whole night was just a nightmare.

As he stood there on the front porch, he realized that he didn't really have anywhere go. He sat down on the stairs, unable to leave. He lowered his head, leaning it against his knees, feeling completely empty. Even though he told Sam that he would leave the moment she didn't want him here, he couldn't.

_Selfishness in its purest form, I guess._

His ears twitched and he half hoped that Emma or Sam would check on him, but he then realized this wouldn't happen, especially not after what he had done. They wanted him gone.

_It's over._

**xXx**

Sam had calmed down, feeling as if she was dreaming, but it was real. She knew that Springtrap just had walked into her room and almost killed her.

''Sam, do you feel better?'' Emma asked her softly, looking at the bruises on her neck, with Sam nodding. ''Does your throat hurt? Should we go to the hospital?''

''No, I'm fine,'' Sam muttered in a weak tone. ''I just want to go to sleep.''

''Okay, sweetie,'' Emma said, nodding. ''If there's anything you need, call me.''

Sam noticed the look of fear and anger in her mother's eyes. She knew that Emma wanted go after Springrap, but she didn't want to deal with this. She shook her head and lied down her bed, with Emma, albeit a little reluctant, leaving and closing the door behind her. Sam turned on her side, staring at the wall. She still felt a little sore and dazed, but instead of going back to sleep, she had focused on what just happened.

Springtrap had stood over her, his eyes glowing purple, but the look he gave her was quite strange. Sam knew that what happened was him suffering from another hallucination, but it looked like he seemed to recognize her. For some reason, he looked unnervingly pleased with his actions, which terrified her. However, once he woke up, he was shocked and ashamed of what he had done.

 _Maybe we used the wrong approach in this situation._ She turned on her back, staring at the ceiling. _I should've seen that coming. I shouldn't have left him alone. It seems like something or someone pushed him over the edge and he maybe wasn't even aware of it? Or maybe he was, but refused to acknowledge it out of fear?_

Sam took a deep breath, putting her fingers around her neck. It didn't hurt anymore, but it still felt sore. She stood up and looked at the mirror, noticing some red marks, but she figured that it would fade. Aside from being a little shook, she was completely fine. She then walked over to the window, looking through it.

_Please, don't tell me that he left. That would be the worst thing he could do, especially in his state of mind._

She knew that this was a bad idea, especially with the fear of her mother discovering what she was about to do, but she felt that she needed to get it done. She felt that this was partially her fault, that she could've somehow prevented that. She knew that this sounded ridiculous and that she had no obligation to help him, but she still wanted to do something. She was sure that there was a way to solve this problem.

**xXx**

Springtrap's ears twitched when he heard the door behind him opening, anxiously awaiting Emma to scream at him. However, he was startled when the person put a blanket over him and sat next to him. He looked up, his eyes widening in surprise.

''Sam?! What are you-'' He cut himself off, staring at Sam, who was just smiling back. ''Sam, I'm so sorry! I didn't want this to happen! I didn't want to hurt you, I swear! You need to believe me!''

''Yeah, I know,'' Sam said, with Springtrap feeling a knot in his stomach when he heard her voice. It was quiet and sounded a little off. She coughed, trying to clear her throat and speak a little louder. ''I know that this was the result of you having another hallucination.''

''Or rather, a nightmare,'' Springtrap muttered, lowering his head. Sam titled her head, with Springtrap noticing that she was trying to look straight into his eyes.

''Is that blood?'' she asked, her eyes narrowing. He looked at her in surprise. She then took her phone out of her pocket and turned the front camera on, holding it up like a mirror. He looked at it, noticing that there was indeed blood in the corner of his eyes, not understanding how they appeared. However, it looked strangely like…

''Tears?'' He gave Sam a perplexed look, with the girl shrugging, just as surprised as he was. He grabbed the edge of the blanket and wiped his eyes. There were red marks on the blanket. ''I don't understand…'' He shook his head, sighing as he glanced towards Sam. ''I'm sorry. I know I cannot be forgiven…''

''Actually, I am willing to forgive you,'' Sam said, with Springtrap staring at her in shock. ''However, this is going to happen only under one condition – I want you to let me help you with this whole situation.''

''Seriously?'' Springtrap stared at her, completely stunned. ''Sam, no offense, but I doubt that this is a good idea.''

''I am aware that this is a bad idea,'' Sam replied. ''However, if I leave you now, I think that things will only escalate and get worse.''

''No doubt about that,'' Springtrap said. ''But, that just puts you in danger and I cannot risk that.''

''To be honest, I am glad that you still refuse to put me in harm's way,'' Sam said. ''What worried me the most was that you decided that you couldn't care less about me.''

''Are you crazy? I told you I was willing to do anything to keep you safe, even leave…''

''Which you didn't,'' Sam said, with Springtrap keeping quiet, looking flustered. ''I'm quite glad about that, because I'm not really in the mood to go search for you during the night in my PJs.''

''It's not like I have anywhere to go. I got used to the idea of staying here with you,'' Springtrap said. ''Besides, you are the only person who is willing to give me a chance and I'm thankful for that.'' He then lowered his head. ''Still, what should I do?''

''For starters, you could explain what the hell you're doing here.''

Both Sam and Springtrap froze when they suddenly heard Emma's voice. They both turned around nervously, seeing an annoyed Emma, who had her arms crossed and tapped with her foot on the floor, waiting for an answer. Sam and Springtrap stood up, exchanging glances and unsure what to say. Emma sighed, glaring at both of them.

''I want both of you back into your rooms,'' she said in a commanding tone, stepping away from the door and pointing at the hallway. ''It's 2 AM in the morning. If I once again find any of you roaming the house tonight, I will lock you up in your room and I won't let you out until morning. Understood?!''

''Yes, Mum!''

''S-sure, Emma!''

Sam and Springtrap quickly entered the hallway, with Springtrap feeling that Emma was glaring at him. Still, he was stunned that she let him back into the house. _Why would she do anything like that?_

The two quickly got upstairs, hearing the door downstairs closing. Springtrap gave Sam a quick, questioning glance. She shrugged.

''I think she eavesdropped on us,'' she whispered.

''She had a good reason,'' Springtrap replied in a hushed tone. The moment they heard steps, they quickly got into their respective rooms, closing the doors. The steps became louder, with Emma briefly opening the door and checking on them. Springtrap gave her an anxious look, with Emma just glaring back at him and closing the door. Once she left, he sighed in relief.

_What a crazy night!_

He noticed that he still had the blanket around his shoulders and just tightened his grip on it, feeling a little comforted. He wondered what Emma had in mind for him and, whatever it was, he wasn't looking forward to the confrontation tomorrow.

**xXx**

The next morning, Sam slowly opened her door, hearing clattering from downstairs. She figured that her mother was already awake, but since she didn't hear any raised voices, she concluded that her mother either kicked the animatronic out or Springtrap didn't dare to go downstairs and confront Emma without Sam by his side. She got her confirmation when she opened the door to the guest room, with Springtrap looking startled, only for his expression to change to a look of relief when he saw her. She quickly entered the room and and closed the door as quietly as possible.

''Are you okay?'' Springtrap asked her.

''Yeah, I'm fine,'' Sam said, rubbing her neck. The marks around her neck were faded, but still somewhat visible. ''You?''

''Not really,'' he replied, looking at the door.

''Things could've been much worse, and you know it,'' Sam told him, with Springtrap nodding, understanding what she meant. ''So, the only option is to either finally confront your fears or you're going to get paranoid and stressed out, and probably lash out again without wanting it or even being aware of it.''

''I understand,'' Springtrap said, lowering his head.

''Com'n,'' Sam said. ''The sooner we get over with this, the better.''

Springtrap followed her, already resigned to his fate. He had already figured that this wasn't the fear of confronting Emma, but actually having to confront his past once again. He wanted to prove that he wasn't a coward, but showing courage wasn't an easy thing to do. He still wasn't sure whether it was harder to talk to Henry or to Emma. So far, Emma was winning.

''Good morning!'' He winced when Emma greeted them, keeping quiet and deciding to let Sam talk to her mother. However, the look Emma gave both of them made it clear that both of them were in trouble.

''Hi,'' Sam said, with Springtrap being surprised that she was so casual. He was already feeling the anxiety growing inside him. Emma pointed at the chairs at the table, with Sam and Springtrap sitting down across her. Emma looked quite calm, which caused Springtrap's anxiety to skyrocket.

''I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name,'' Emma said, looking at Springtrap, who gave her a stunned look. ''Your _real_ name, Mr....''

''William Afton,'' Springtrap said in a quiet tone, avoiding her intense gaze.

''Okay, Afton, are you ready to confess?''

''Confess to what?'' Springtrap blurted out, being too frustrated and too stressed to think straight.

''Confess to being a disappointment,'' Emma said in a disdainful tone, glaring at him. Sam's jaw dropped and she let out a chuckle, mouthing _Damn!_. Springtrap just stared at her in stunned silence. Emma smiled. ''So, are you still willing to talk?''

Springtrap stared at her, still a little stunned, then frowned, accepting the challenge.

''What do you want to know?''

''I would like to know why you're so attached to my daughter,'' Emma said, with both Sam and Springtrap giving her a curious look.

''That's kind of my fault…'' Sam muttered, but quickly kept quiet when she noticed both Emma and Springtrap looking at her, with both obviously not agreeing with her.

''It's a little complicated,'' Springtrap said, with Emma's eyes narrowing and her crossing her arms, ready to continue forcing answers out of him, but it seemed to be unnecessary. ''Essentially, I had no idea what to do when I returned and Sam helped me out, and I am really thankful for her help. That, and the fact that I promised to her that I wouldn't leave unless she wanted me to, is the reason why I'm still here.''

''I see,'' Emma muttered, glancing at Sam, who nodded. She then frowned, looking at Springtrap. ''What I still don't understand is why you are here. Why was someone, who was supposed to be dead, gone forever, someone who committed horrifying crimes, brought back?'' She glanced at Sam. ''I understand that you want to help him, giving him a second chance, and I think that's okay, even if I don't like how this turned out.'' She then looked at Springtrap. ''Still, why would you even be given a second chance? It makes no sense at all.''

''Honestly, I don't know either,'' Springtrap said quietly. ''I already told Sam that I had been in Hell and that I was supposed to stay there. I have no idea why I was brought back. Someone just told me that I would be allowed to return, but never really explaining directly why I would be brought back or what I was supposed to do once I was brought back. All I was told was that I was being brought back to finish what I had started and that I would face atonement or annihilation. Then, I woke up at Freddy's, trapped in this suit and…''

He trailed off when he saw that Emma was glaring at him. He knew that Emma wanted to know how exactly he met Sam. He figured that he should be honest, despite the fact that he felt quite uncomfortable about explaining to Emma what had happened. He lowered his head, staring at the table.

''I saw Sam watching through the window and I grabbed her, pulling her into the location. She had figured out who I was, managed to escape my grip and locked herself up in the security guard's office,'' Springtrap continued. ''She then started screaming and questioning me, pretty much doing the same you're doing now.''

''So, you wanted to make her your next victim,'' Emma said in an angry tone, glaring at Springtrap, who kept his head low.

''I did, but…'' He feared that he sounded as if he was trying to defend his actions, which he knew would make Emma only more furious. ''I know this sounds awful to you, but I'm not sure if I would've even went through it. It was just an idea, but I did consider the other option, that I wouldn't be taking another life away. Honestly, I don't know anymore what I wanted to do.''

''Okay, but how come you decided to work together?'' Emma asked, rubbing her temple. She looked at Sam.

''Will had some kind of hallucination and just walked away,'' Sam said, with Springtrap's eyes glowing in a faint purple. ''I got out and found him sitting on the floor, and he looked like he was completely empty, emotionally drained. I knew it was a stupid idea, but we started to talk and I persuaded him to actually try to do something with his second chance, something that didn't involve murder.''

''And you just had to bring him here?'' Emma frowned, with Sam giving her a sheepish grin, with the smile fading into a frown.

''Yeah, I'm an idiot.''

''No, you're not!''

''Stop saying that!''

Both Emma and Springtrap said almost in unison, staring at Sam. Emma then glanced at Springtrap, a curious look on her expression.

''So, what happened during the past week?'' she then asked. ''I assume that something interesting did occur, as we wouldn't be having this kind of conversation now had something went wrong.''

Sam and Springtrap exchanged glances, both aware that they would have to tell Emma about their discovery.

''During the past few days, Sam and I agreed to some kind of trial, with me answering her questions and trying to figure out what exactly I was supposed to do with my second chance,'' Springtrap said.

''We went to Freddy's, trying to find out whether there was something that would help us out with this, only to find a dead security guard in a room in the back,'' Sam added.

''What?!'' Emma stared at her, looking quite shocked.

''We decided to continue to investigate,'' Sam continued in a firm tone. ''He was security guard from Ricky's and we figured that we should go there after hours, hoping that we would find out what happened. It turns out, someone killed him in a room at Ricky's, then dumped his body at Freddy's. We think that the culprit was an employee who works at Ricky's.''

''Is that how you got injured? You went to investigate and one of the animatronics hurt you,'' Emma asked, with Sam nodding. ''Why didn't you call the police when you found the body? Even if you didn't want someone to find out about you being there, you could've done it anonymously.''

''Once again, I was kind of acting like an idiot,'' Sam said, with both Emma and Springtrap giving her irritated looks. She ignored them. ''Considering what we had figured out, I think there's something going on at Ricky's that the cops probably wouldn't know how to handle.''

''Afton?'' Emma looked at Springtrap.

''We found out that there had been some kind of incident with one of the animatronics, even before Ricky's had even opened and we went to the factory to search for clues. Someone is trying to build another animatronic, or even more of them,'' Springtrap explained. ''I'm not sure what they're planning with them, but I'm worried that someone might try repeat what I had done.''

''If that's the case, only Springtrap and I would know how to deal with the situation,'' Sam added.

Emma sighed, leaning against the chair. She stared at both of them, her expression unreadable. Both Sam and Springtrap felt anxious, worried about what Emma would say next.

''Why haven't you told me that earlier?'' she finally asked.

''I didn't want to make you feel worried,'' Sam admitted in a quiet tone. Emma then looked at Springtrap with a questioning look, with Springtrap feeling anxious, but he did look back at her.

''I'm sorry,'' he said. ''I didn't want Sam to get hurt. I tried to look after her, but obviously, I wasn't doing a good job.''

''Yeah, you didn't,'' Emma said in an agitated tone, suddenly standing up and slamming her hands on the table. ''If you didn't want to let her get hurt, why did you harm her last night? I saw those bruises! You tried to strangle her to death!''

''I didn't mean to!'' Springtrap replied, with Emma giving him a death glare. He lowered his head, a look of guilt on his expression. ''I had another hallucination and when I woke up when Sam screamed, I realized what happened and quickly backed away. I know it sounds like I'm trying to defend my actions, but that's what happened. I never wanted to hurt Sam!''

As he looked up, he noticed how frustrated Emma looked. She looked from Springtrap to Sam, who nodded, essentially confirming that he was telling the truth.

''Will would often have hallucinations during the past week, although I managed to wake him up from most of them,'' Sam explained. ''None of them were bad as this one, and honestly, we still have no idea what is up with them. We don't know whether they are really delusions, nightmares or even real events.''

''I would also hear some kind of entity talking to me. I don't know what it is, but it would constantly remind me of my past and it had even tried to persuade me to…'' Springtrap looked away, feeling frustrated.

''To what? Kill us?'' Emma glared at him. Springtrap nodded, with Emma looking like she was about to kill him. It didn't help that she was standing next to the counter with the knife stand.

''I refused,'' Springtrap said in a firm tone, looking at Emma. His eyes flared purple. ''I admit, I was frustrated and worried that I would lose Sam when you took her, but I wasn't going to destroy another family.''

''I assume that your own family suffered because of you,'' Emma said in a cold tone, with Springtrap nodding.

''My wife left me, and my children died because of my creations, even if I never wanted them to die,'' he said. ''It was all my fault.''

''So, you were a father,'' Emma said, walking over to him. ''If you were incapable protecting your own family, why do you think that I would let you take care of my own daughter?''

Springtrap kept quiet, with Sam feeling a little sick. It wasn't because of their conversation, but rather because of her fear that she would lose Springtrap. While neither of them felt comfortable with telling Emma the truth, they did feel a little relieved. They didn't care anymore about what would happen, as they were both willing to face the consequences.

''Okay,'' Emma muttered, taking a deep breath and walked back to her spot, still standing and looking at both of them. ''There are a few things I want to make clear.''

Both glanced at her, with a look of guilt on their expressions.

''First of all, I wasn't honest with you either,'' Emma said, with the two giving her surprised and confused looks. She glanced at Sam, with a warm smile. ''I'm sorry I didn't tell you this sweetie, but, to use your excuse, I didn't want to make you feel worried. Remember what I told you that I would be away for a little longer?''

''Yeah,'' Sam said, nodding, but still feeling slightly confused.

''I found an advertisement for some nice silverware and I texted the guy who was selling it,'' Emma said. ''I agreed to come to his place, check it out and probably buy it. However, when I went down the road which led to his house, I realized that it was quite isolated. It was a dirt path in the middle of nowhere.''

She noticed that both Sam and Springtrap listened to her intently. Both looked worried.

''I had a bad feeling and I told him that I would rather meet at the local coffee shop and that he should bring it there. He never messaged me back,'' she said, with Sam feeling chills going down her spine. ''I decided to stay at a motel for the night and return home the next morning. I checked the news and there had been a report about an abandoned car being found on the same road. Hours later, they had found a mutilated body of a woman in the nearby field. According to the report, someone assaulted her, stabbed her and then cut off her limbs. Her arms, legs and head had been found scattered in different parts of the field.''

Sam and Springtrap stared at her in shock. Emma nodded, confirming their fears.

''I checked the advertisement and it had been taken down. I also tried to call the man, but I was told that the number wasn't in use anymore,'' she said, sighing. ''If it weren't for the bad feeling I had, I could've been the one who ended up on that field instead of her.''

She gave Sam a compassionate gaze and then glanced at Springtrap.

''That's the other reason why I took her away. Not only because I wanted to keep her safe from you, but because I was scared that I wouldn't see her again if I made another similar mistake in the future,'' she said. Springtrap stared at her, then lowered his head, feeling ashamed about his hatred towards Emma. _Had something gone wrong, Sam would've lost her mother. It's no wonder Emma wanted to spend more time with her. I would've done the same in her place._

''Mum, you…'' Sam was tearing.

''Don't worry, sweetie. I'm here,'' Emma replied, smiling in an encouraging manner. ''Believe me, I am not going to leave you so soon.'' She shrugged. ''However, this proves that I'm also a human. It shows that I don't know everything and that I make mistakes that might put my own life in danger. I wanted both of you to know that.''

She then leaned against the chair, looking at Sam.

''I also refuse to claim that, as a mother, I know what is best for you. A lot of parents do that, only to find that they were wrong and that they made the life of their beloved child more difficult than it already was, or that they had completely ruined it. Sure, I might've been right about certain things, but I do hope that I taught you enough about life, so you would make the right decision when it comes to it. I hate the fact that I cannot always protect you, but so far, you have been doing a good job.''

She glanced at Sam's injured arm and the bruises on her neck, frowning.

''Sure, this is not what I wanted, but honestly, I feared that it would've been even worse, and I feared that that the harm would come from the most obvious source,'' she said, looking at Springtrap. ''I was partially wrong, and I acknowledge that.''

Sam nodded, blinking away the tears. Emma then looked at both of them.

''Now, that that's out of the way, I guess I know now what your future career might be,'' she said, smiling. ''A private investigator, or is there something else you want to do?''

''What?!'' Sam stared at her, with Springtrap also looking surprised. ''What do you mean?''

Emma sighed, her eyes narrowing.

''You aren't going to stop investigating what had happened, right?'' Emma asked, with Sam looking flustered. ''I thought so. You always loved to explore whatever mystery caught your eye. It didn't matter whether you got yourself into trouble, you just had to satisfy your curiosity. I guess that becoming a private investigator would fit you.''

''I'm surprised that you don't work in law enforcement,'' Springtrap told Emma.

''No, I don't think that's for me. To be honest, I do have interest in human society, and I actually studied anthropology at college,'' Emma said. ''My store is just a stable source of income, but my real passion is studying human behavior. Rather than a job, it is more like a hobby to me.''

''I suppose that you're currently trying to figure out what makes certain customers act so entitled,'' Springtrap said in a deadpan tone.

''You nailed it,'' Emma replied, grinning smugly. ''I might make you my next project.''

''Is that a threat?'' Springtrap frowned, the two staring at each other and them turning to Sam as she suddenly spoke.

''Are you sure about this?'' Sam looked at her mother suspiciously. ''I mean, about what happened at Ricky's. I thought that…''

''You thought that I would forbid you from trying to investigate what happened,'' Emma said, with Sam nodding. ''Sam, I know you better than anyone. As I already said, I know that you wouldn't stop until you have satisfied your curiosity. Of course, I don't like the idea of you investigating this alone…''

She then looked at Springtrap, who stared back at her in surprise as he realized what she meant.

''Now, you said that you don't want her to get hurt, right Afton?'' she asked, with Springtrap feeling anxious. ''If you let her get hurt again, or even worse, try to hurt her yourself, I'll become your tormentor. You will wish you were in Hell again.''

''I understand,'' Springtrap said in a quiet, but firm tone.

''So, if you two are going to continue investigating, I want only two things – Sam being kept safe and I want an update on what is going on, so I would know what to do in a case of emergency. This is important to me and I hope you understand the responsibility you have been given,'' she added as she looked at Springtrap. ''Afton, you have been a parent, you have been given another chance, do not make the same mistake!''

''To be honest, I only care about Sam's opinion, not yours,'' he replied. ''Although, I do understand what you mean.''

''I see. I do hope, however, that you are not planning on replacing me as Sam's parent,'' Emma said. Springtrap looked freaked out, while Sam was flustered.

''N-No! I'm not trying to replace you! Why would I?!'' Springtrap had a nasty flashback to what Henry told him. He felt unnerved when he saw her grinning.

''Don't worry, I was just messing with you. I know it is impossible to replace me,'' Emma said in a smug tone. Springtrap had to agree with her, as it would be hard to find someone who could freak him out like this. Sam, on the other hand, was giggling. Emma gave her a loving gaze, while Springtrap looked quite glad to see her so happy. ''So, Sam, what do you say about this? After all, we both are interested in your opinion.''

''I'm okay with this,'' Sam said, looking quite content, knowing that she won't be losing her friend, but then she tilted her head, as she thought about something.

''What's wrong?'' Emma asked her. Sam turned to Springtrap, looking worried.

''About that entity, what if it lied to you about everything?'' Sam said. ''What if this never was a second chance, but just a different kind of Hell, a different kind of torture? Instead of experiencing death, you're dealing with the fear of losing someone you care about. You're told that you have a choice, but in truth, there was never really any.''

Springtrap lowered his head, thinking about what she told him. It made sense, as he was constantly, as he had been experiencing a constant stream of frustration, paranoia, anxiety, fear and bloodlust, all due to the one person he promised to care about.

''It is possible,'' Springtrap said, looking at Sam.

''You know, even if there is some kind of entity that is trying to manipulate you and cause you hallucinations, to me, it sounds like you might be also suffering from PTSD, that is, post-traumatic stress disorder,'' Emma said, noticing the confused look on his expression. ''I guess being trapped in Hell is quite traumatic and your behavior indicates some serious mental and emotional issues, making you lash out at other people.''

''I'm quite sure that the entity I talked to wasn't a delusion,'' Springtrap replied. ''Although, you're right about the mental and emotional issues.''

''I'm not saying that it is,'' Emma replied. ''But it is quite clear that you need a psychologist.'' Her eyes then narrowed. ''And probably an exorcist.''

Springtrap frowned, glaring at her. Emma just grinned slyly and walked over to the kitchen counter, taking out a bowl.

''Sam, do you want some cereal?'' she asked. Sam nodded, then reached for her pocket, only to realize she left her smartphone in her room. She quickly got up and went upstairs. Springtrap meanwhile looked at Emma, standing up and clenching his fist.

''Emma,'' he said, with her looking at him curiously. ''I wanted to thank you for letting me stay here.''

''Don't make any mistake, Afton, I still don't like you. However, I am willing to tolerate you for my daughter's sake. I have talked to her and I can say for sure that she's quite happy having you around,'' Emma said. ''She's also the most important person in my life. Keep that in mind.''

''She's important to me too,'' Springtrap said. Emma nodded.

''Then, I'm glad that we understand each other,'' she said as Sam arrived.

''I guess that some actions don't have to make sense, but they should have a meaning behind them, right?'' Springtrap told her.

''Sam told you that, didn't she? Well, I was the one who told her that,'' Emma glanced at her daughter. ''I'm glad to know that you are indeed listening to what I tell you.''

Sam grinned sheepishly. Springtrap noticed that she was quite pleased. To be honest, he was also quite content with the situation. Most of the tension was gone, and he felt relieved that he was allowed to stay, despite Emma having reservations about it.

_Although, only because we managed to solve one issue doesn't mean that future issues wouldn't be less difficult to deal with._

**xXx**

It was afternoon when Emma left to check on the store, leaving Sam and Springtrap alone. They were in Sam's room, with Sam looking at something on her laptop, while Springtrap was sitting on her bed, replaying in his head what happened this morning.

''I still can't believe that Emma let me stay,'' he said.

''I can't believe that Mum decided to let us continue to investigate,'' Sam said, then grinned. ''I'm just glad everything went well.''

Springtrap looked at her injuries, feeling a knot in his stomach. Sam noticed his glance, shaking her head.

''I'm fine,'' she said. ''Although, we seriously need to figure out how to deal with your tormentor.''

''You said that you assumed that whoever brought me back may have been lying and that this is just another Hell,'' Springtrap said, looking determined. ''If that's the case, I am not going to let them drive me into pure insanity. My deeds sent me too far, but I cannot allow myself to let something similar to what happened last night happen again.''

''At least you're not alone this time,'' Sam said.

''True,'' Springtrap muttered, his eyes glowing purple, with Sam giving him a curious look. ''Last night, I have figured out that you're what keeps me from completely losing my mind.''

''I realized that myself,'' Sam replied, with Springtrap giving her a surprised look. ''We're both a mess, but that doesn't mean we cannot help and support each other.''

''So, do you have any plans for what we're going to do next?'' Springtrap asked her.

''Yeah. We need to find out what is inside that hidden room. Also, I want to back to the Machinations Factory and see what else is there,'' Sam said. ''However, this time we need to come up with a better plan rather than just walk around and explore. Then, there's also Ricky's actor…''

''Leave him to me,'' Springtrap said, his eyes flaring purple.

**xXx**

Connor fixed the collar around his neck, then took the head of the wolf mascot, planning to go out and entertain people. The animatronic himself was also in the room, leaned against the wall, waiting for his next performance. As he turned to the mirror, he suddenly heard banging from behind the mirror. He sighed, rolling his eyes.

''I really need to deal with this issue,'' he muttered, putting the head on. Ricky was looking back at him. ''He's getting noisy.''


	16. Under Lock And Key

**Night 15**

**Under Lock And Key**

_''Now we all know how this will end, a minute late got you coming back again. There's secrets in these halls and mysteries that can't be solved. Final bow or final stand? Another encore is always in demand. This never ending game, you took the bait, now you got played. Now we all can't find a way to play this game. Is it all the same?''_

_– **Count The Teeth** by NateWantsToBattle_

**xXxXxXx**

''Hopefully nothing goes wrong this time,'' Sam said as she looked at the map of Ricky's that she printed out.

''I can already imagine what will go wrong,'' Springtrap replied, a little cynical. However, he was just as eager to find out what was in the hidden room as Sam was.

So far, they had agreed that they would visit the location once again after hours, figure out the animatronics' pattern and try to sneak past them into the room behind the stage. They both hoped that the animatronics wouldn't go there, even though Springtrap noted that the animatronics were changing their pattern according to what was going on at the moment.

''They will go after you and I believe that they might also go after me, if not even try and attack me. Still, I'll be in less danger than you,'' Springtrap said. Sam nodded, looking quite determined. She had already texted her mother that they would be at Ricky's, and Emma just replied for Sam to be careful and to not get injured again.

''I know that the last time we split up didn't end well, but the problem was that we didn't know anything about the animatronics' behavior. If I could get somehow into the security guard's office, I could keep an eye on them until we figure out how to get past them or shut them down,'' Sam said. ''I doubt that they'll be able to enter locked rooms.''

''I suppose you're right,'' Springtrap said, looking at the map that was on the table. ''It would've been much easier if they had a set pattern. I do wonder why they're avoiding the room behind the stage.''

''Maybe it's because the room isn't in their internal map, just like the situation with Freddy and the rest of the animatronics,'' Sam suggested.

''It is possible, but I'd like to know why they would be programmed to act that way,'' Springtrap said, glancing at the hallway behind them that led to the hidden safe room. ''We had a good reason to keep that room hidden, due to the spring lock accidents that would occur. I'd like to know Ricky's excuse for that.''

''I guess we won't know until we go there,'' Sam said, folding up the map and placing it into her bag.

''Honestly, I'd gladly take them apart, just to analyse their programming,'' Springtrap said, glancing at the stage. The two were at Freddy's, with the location still being unlocked and empty. ''I admit, I miss my old workshop.''

''You mean the one where you used to create killing machines?'' Sam asked dryly, with Springtrap wincing, giving her a nervous glance. ''I think you'll get your chance to tear apart the animatronics at Ricky's, but for now, we need to find our way into that hidden room. Something is inside it, and I am worried that someone might've taken it out since the last time we've been there.''

''If we're lucky, they haven't done that yet. I do believe that there is a switch that opens it, or at least some way to get inside. I know we couldn't find it the last time, but we were in a hurry,'' Springtrap said.

''Have we even checked behind the mirror?'' Sam asked, with Springtrap shaking his head. She then started pacing in front of the stage. ''I don't think many people would know about this hidden room, except for the most frequent users.'' She looked back at the bunny animatronic. ''What worries me is that Ricky's might've gotten a new security guard.''

''That's why I'm going inside first,'' Springtrap said. ''If there isn't anyone, we can proceed with our plan. We go in, see what's there and get out. It shouldn't be that hard.''

''Yeah, and after that, we need to figure out a plan for the Machinations Factory,'' Sam said. ''We're less familiar with it, but I think we can manage it. I'm confident that things will turn out well.''

''I hope you're right. We still need to find out who exactly is responsible for this. I am aware that the culprit might be Ricky's actor due to his access to the room behind the stage and the room with the costumes, but we have no idea who he is or what he wants,'' Springtrap said, his arms crossed. ''I'm curious about his connection with the animatronics. If he was the person we saw at the Machinations Factory, he might've been some kind of engineer, worked there or at least knew how to handle the animatronics.''

''You seem to be quite eager to find out more about those animatronics,'' Sam commented.

''Urban exploration is your thing, animatronics are mine,'' Springtrap replied. ''Although, combining both makes things a lot more interesting.''

''True,'' Sam said, then looked around. ''Honestly, I am curious what this place will look like once it opens up.''

''Probably less empty than it is now,'' Springtrap said sarcastically. Sam snorted, giving him an amused look.

The two then separated, walking around and looking at the place. They still had time until Ricky's would close, so waiting at Freddy's was their best option. While Sam wandered into the security guard's office, Springtrap entered what seemed to be some kind of storage room. There were dusty boxes inside it, and he decided to open one out of pure curiosity. It just contained party items and decorations. He guessed that the spare parts for the animatronics would arrive once whatever issue they had with the animatronics themselves was sorted out.

As he put the box back to its place, he heard a distinct metallic sound and looked down. His eyes, which were their usual silver and green, started glowing as he picked the object up. It was a pair of keys. He frowned.

''Just how incompetent can they be?'' he muttered. He walked out, encountering Sam, who seemed to be searching for him. ''I think I just found the reason why this place is unlocked.''

''They lost their keys?'' Sam rose an eyebrow, taking the keys from Springtrap. ''If they couldn't find them and knew that someone was killed, why didn't they take more security measures?''

''Search me,'' Springtrap said, shrugging. ''However, if that's what the new management is like, I can already see another catastrophe coming.''

''Do you want to say that you'd be better at managing this location?'' Sam asked, giving him a curious look.

''Sam, I've been a manager and CEO for a good part of my life,'' Springtrap replied. ''I know that I would do a better job than whoever was payed to take over this location.'' He then noticed Sam's smug expression and sighed. ''Yes, that also means that I would make sure to not be the one who caused another accident while working as a manager.'' He then went quiet as he thought about something. ''Speaking of accidents, I'm surprised that Emma even let you go.''

''Mum trusts me a lot and is quite sure that I would make the right decisions. Yes, it's probably a little unexpected, but she always knew what she was doing. I mean, this is not that different than from what I had been doing before I met you,'' Sam said, holding up her injured arm. ''Besides, I'm fairly certain that, when she told you to keep me safe, she actually meant that you don't let me get killed in some way. She already knows that, one way or another, I get myself somehow injured while I explore places.''

''Yeah, I figured that she meant that. She only went after me because she thought I hurt you,'' Springtrap said, frowning, with a look of guilt on his expression. ''Even if I didn't, I did prove that I'm a danger to you.''

He was a little confused when Sam gave him an irritated look.

''Springtrap, I know that you were suffering from a hallucination and that you weren't even aware of what you were doing. I know that you didn't want to hurt me,'' she said. ''If that weren't the case, what do you think why I would've gone after you?''

''Still, you shouldn't have…'' Springtrap looked in surprise at her as she cut him off.

''William, I am not giving up on you!'' Sam yelled at him. ''Seriously, I would've never forgiven you if had decided to refuse my help and just left.''

''Sam…'' Springtrap approached her, but she shook her head. She lowered her head, a look of guilt on her expression.

''I shouldn't have left you alone. I feel that what happened was actually my fault,'' Sam added. She was staring at the floor, wincing when she felt Springtrap placing his hand on her shoulder and looked up, noticing that he crouched down to be on her eye level.

''Sam, what happened wasn't your fault, but mine,'' Springtrap told her in a gentle tone. ''I was careless and I should've tried to fight back the hallucination instead of letting it overwhelm me. Also, I shouldn't have pushed you away.'' He sighed. ''I've been stressing over keeping you safe by trying to keep a distance and, ironically, that is what led to me accidentally hurting you. Just like…''

He closed his eyes. He had always been cold and distant towards his family, except for the rare moments when he actually acted like a loving parent. He always thought about his work, about himself, and his selfishness was what led to his family's demise.

''It was my fault,'' he whispered. ''It has always been my fault.''

He looked a little lost when Sam suddenly stepped away. She crossed her arms.

''No doubt about that,'' she said dryly, her eyes narrowed. Springtrap stood up, looking upset. ''Whom exactly have you tried to kill in your hallucination?''

''Henry,'' he muttered. ''I was at Fazbear's Fright.''

''You know, what terrified me the most wasn't the fact that you attempted to kill me, it was actually the expression you had while strangling me,'' Sam said. ''You looked so pleased, enjoying every moment of it. I can only imagine how it was for your former victims.''

Springtrap looked shocked. He stepped away from her, remembering her horror-stricken expression. The look of fear she had still haunted him.

''Of course, that bloodlust will be always a part of you. It seems like it's something you cannot escape,'' Sam added, stepping towards him. Springtrap gave her an unnerved look, then sighed.

''What should I do?'' he muttered, leaning against the wall.

''I think that's something you need to decide. I have already told you that I'm not giving up on you and that you shouldn't either,'' Sam told him in a confident tone.

''Thanks for the encouragement,'' Springtrap told her. ''Looks like you're the only person who believes there is still a shred of humanity left in me.''

''If there weren't, I would've been dead by now,'' Sam told him, now in a more serious tone. ''I guess its hard to accept that some kind of change is possible, especially when everyone else tells you that it will never happen.''

''I guess that, instead of stressing over my past, I should finally start proving that I'm not the same person that I was before,'' Springtrap told her, only to be surprised when she shook her head.

''You don't need to prove me anything. I already know that,'' Sam replied. ''If you want to prove anything to anyone, it should be to yourself.''

''I suppose you're right,'' Springtrap said, aware that he was fighting a losing battle. He knew that he wouldn't be able to persuade Sam to change her mind, and honestly, he didn't want to do that. ''Still, why are you so insistent on not giving up on me when everyone else did?''

''That's because I know how it feels when you have no one to support you,'' Sam said, her expression darkening. ''Even though I knew that Mum would help me out, I felt that, when I was at my lowest point in my life, that I should just give up on myself, keep my head down and just let people walk over me. I felt helpless, like I wouldn't be able to change anything about my situation. It took me a while to realize that I just couldn't do that to myself, but by then, it was already too late and my confidence had already been shattered.''

Springtrap felt bad for her. He understood that she felt truly alone as she tried to deal with the fact that she felt on her own skin just how awful people could be. Still, she somehow managed to fight back and try to find a way out of this mess. It wasn't much, but it seemed that she was satisfied with what she had achieved.

''When I saw you the last night on the stairs, I also remembered how I felt during that time,'' Sam said, a determined look on her expression. ''I had given up on myself and it was a horrible. I didn't want to let you experience the same.''

''Sam, I'm thankful for your support, but you shouldn't really bother so much…'' Springtrap trailed off when he saw Sam glaring at him. He sighed. ''I suppose that I cannot win this argument, right?''

''Exactly,'' Sam said in a satisfied tone. Springtrap then crouched down to be at her eye level.

''Okay, then,'' he said. ''I promise I won't give up on myself and try my best to make a change. Also, I'll let you help me as much as possible, and if there's an issue, we'll talk it out.''

''That's what I wanted to hear,'' Sam said, stepping towards him. Springtrap expected her to try to boop his nose, just to try to mess with him a little. Instead, he got almost knocked over when she hugged him. He was a little shocked, glancing at Sam in confusion as she buried her head into his chest. Honestly, he had no idea how to react to this.

However, he was glad to see her smiling when she stepped back. It felt really good to see that he managed to achieve at least what he wanted all along.

''Now that we both got that off our chests, we should focus on our upcoming task,'' he told her. Sam nodded, looking forward to it.

**xXx**

''Hi, Connor!'' Bella said, greeting the man inside the room. ''I guess I finally managed to find my way around the building.''

Connor nodded. He was back in his regular blue uniform, having set up Ricky to perform on the stage while he was on break.

''Hasn't your shift ended?'' he asked her.

''It did, but I'm still waiting for my roommate to pick me up,'' she replied. ''She still had something to do, but she said that she would arrive here soon.''

''I see,'' Connor muttered. ''What about your parents or your partner? Can't they pick you up from work?''

''My parents don't live here and I don't have a boyfriend,'' Bella admitted. ''It is a little annoying, but I'm managing it. Besides, I figured I needed to try and live on my own. You know, be independent.''

''I wish you luck with that,'' Connor told her.

''I heard that you'd be closing the building again,'' Bella said, with Connor shrugging. Her eyes narrowed. ''I heard that our night guard had been missing for a week. Another co-worker told me that the management gave him a call and told him that he was fired for not showing up at work. He never called back.''

''Really?'' Connor said, giving her a curious look. ''I wonder what happened.''

''Me too,'' Bella said. ''Anyways, I'm not sure whether they'll be hiring a new night guard or let someone from the closing shift do that job as some sort of 'promotion'.''

''Well, I've been here since the opening and the management likes to keep things such as 'lazy employees' private,'' Connor replied. ''I assume they'll indeed leave that routine to someone more experienced.''

''So, do you plan to get promoted to a night guard?'' Bella asked. Connor shook his head, chuckling.

''No, I'd rather stay in my role as Ricky,'' he said. ''Although, since I'm usually the last to leave, due to having to check on the animatronics, I might as well ask them whether they could give me that task. It wouldn't be much of a hassle for me and they won't have to spend money on someone who has no idea how things work here.''

''Ah, good luck with that, then,'' Bella said, her phone suddenly ringing as she got a message. ''That's my ride. I'll see you tomorrow then.''

Connor nodded, watching her as she left. He had to wonder what Bella's opinion on the animatronics was, whether she considered them interesting or not. After all, not everyone could appreciate them the way he did. Still, he knew that there were people who shared his ideas.

**xXx**

Springtrap glanced into the main area, with Quentin, Max and Ricky roaming through it. He assumed that Dahlia and Virgil were at the roaming through the rooms at the employee area and was also quite sure that Ricky's still hadn't hired a new night guard. So far, the animatronics hadn't seen him, which was a good thing. He didn't really want to check to see whether they still remembered that he wasn't part of their group. However, for this plan to work, they needed to hear him.

_''Hello! Hi!''_

His eyes glowed in a soft purple as he held up the dictaphone Sam had borrowed from Emma and played the recording.

_''Hello!''_

The animatronics had reacted, turning towards him. Their eyes were glowing as they stared at Springtrap, only to approach him. He waited for them to come closer and then quickly went towards where he assumed Dahlia and Virgil were. As he moved away from the main area, he held up the walkie-talkie.

''Your turn!''

He then quickly got into another corridor, avoiding Virgil. Dahlia was also behind him.

_''HAHAHAHAH! HAHAHAHAH!''_

He found it quite amusing that the animatronics were lured by the annoying recording of Balloon Boy's voice clip. It was nice to see it being used on someone else. He managed to get out of their sight and entered the costume room, listening to their steps as they passed by. Once they were gone, he quickly exited it and went back to the main area. However, he suddenly stopped when he saw Ricky at the other end of the corridor, moving away from him.

Springtrap waited a little, wondering if this was really worth the risk. It was something he wanted to get done while he still had the time and if his theory was right, there wouldn't be any problems. He frowned.

''Hey!'' he shouted, drawing Ricky's attention. The wolf animatronic's eyes glowed brightly as he looked at Springtrap. Then, he suddenly walked towards him, looking furious. Springtrap grinned, quickly making his way towards the main area.

_''I'm in! Where are you?''_

''I'll be there soon,'' Springtrap replied. ''Ricky's also coming.''

_''Got it!''_

He emerged at the main area, keeping his pace as he walked between the arcades towards the stage. He glanced back, noticing that Ricky briefly stopped, as he had lost the bunny animatronic, but quickly resumed once Springtrap drew his attention by playing BB's voice clip. Springtrap then quickly entered the room behind the stage, with Sam already waiting there for him. The two anxiously looked at the wolf animatronic, who approached them, but then stopped, as if he was standing in front of an invisible barrier.

''Just as I thought,'' Springtrap said, then reached out for the animatronic, grabbing his arms and dragged him into the room. Ricky at first snapped back at Springtrap, but the moment he entered the room, he stopped moving. His eyes were still glowing, but he stood there, completely frozen. Springtrap then pushed the wolf animatronic down and pulled out the wire that was connected to the animatronic's battery, effectively shutting him down.

''So, they really don't recognize this room,'' Sam said as she observed Springtrap examining Ricky.

''It seems so,'' Springtrap replied, briefly checking the inner wiring and the endoskeleton.

He wished he had the tools from his workshop with him, as they would help him dismantle and examine the animatronics in order to figure out how they worked, but it was obvious that that wouldn't happen. From what he had seen, the animatronic was quite generic, with additional features that made him distinct from the others, like the wolf ears and muzzle, but he had found something that caught his attention. It was a small black device connected to the animatronic's eyes and facial recognition system. Springtrap wanted to take it out and give it a closer examination, but he couldn't reach for it without damaging the surrounding wiring and parts. He frowned.

''This is strange,'' he muttered.

''What's wrong?'' Sam asked.

''I don't think this belongs to the animatronic,'' Springtrap said, pointing at the black device as he lifted the wiring that covered it. Sam took her flashlight and pointed at it, noticing that the device looked old and had scratches on it, looking completely different from the polished surfaces of the surrounding parts. It seemed as if someone jammed it into the animatronic.

''Can you get it out?'' Sam asked.

''No, at least not without damaging the animatronic,'' Springtrap said, putting the wires back. ''Even if I could, I don't have the necessary tools that would help me figure out what this device does.'' He stood up, feeling a little disappointed. ''Of course, I might be wrong and this was a part that simply got damaged.''

''However, you feel that this isn't right,'' Sam said, with Springtrap nodding. The two heard steps, with another animatronic getting into the room. They noticed Virgil walking past the door, with Sam glancing at Springtrap, who gave her a mischievous look. She narrowed her eyes and smirked. ''Go on.''

Springtrap's eyes flared purple as he looked at Virgil. He then exited the room, luring the owl animatronic inside, with Sam stepping back as it got a little crowded. Virgil, just as Ricky, stopped moving once he was inside the room. As Sam observed Springtrap turning the animatronic off and examining him, she got reminded of an image of a child playing with his newest toy. She grinned, stepping closer once Springtrap removed Virgil's mask to see whether he also had the same device as Ricky did. To their surprise, he didn't.

''I guess I was right about the device,'' Springtrap said, placing Virgil's mask back and dragging the animatronic outside the room. ''Although, maybe I should also examine Max, Dahlia and Quentin.''

''It wouldn't be a bad idea, but we cannot stay here for too long,'' Sam told him. ''We still need to check the hidden room.''

''You're right,'' Springtrap said as he connected the wire back to the battery. Virgil's eyes started to glow and he flapped his wing-like arms.

''Did you know that rabbits cannot live off carrots?'' Virgil suddenly said, with Springtrap stepping away from him, a little startled. It seemed that the owl didn't register that it was after hours. ''Their teeth never stop growing, their vision covers nearly 360 degrees and they're real good jumpers. According to Guinness World Records, the highest rabbit jump reached 3.26 feet off the ground and the farthest reached nearly 10 feet. There are even rabbit jumping competitions where owners can show off their pets' agility.''

''I didn't know that. Interesting,'' Springtrap said, tilting his head as Virgil walked away. He turned back to Sam, who looked quite amused.

''Let's get this over with,'' she said, pointing at the mirror, only to get startled when she heard banging. She frowned, trying to gently move away the mirror, but it was quite heavy. Springtrap stepped next to her and lifted it, with Sam finding a small panel behind it with some kind of switch. She flicked it, hearing a click sound. Springtrap lowered the mirror and the two looked at the wall as it popped open a little. The banging sounds were now louder.

As the door hadn't had a handle, Springtrap reached for the edge and opened it fully. Sam pointed her flashlight at the room, noticing that it was a little bigger than the room they were currently in, but it seemed to be empty. They glanced at each other and entered it, with Springtrap in lead, carefully looking around. It didn't take them long to spot the figure in the corner of the room, leaned against the wall. Sam pointed her flashlight at it, gasping as she and Springtrap recognized it.

It was an animatronic, about the same height as Springtrap. The suit it had was black, with artificial feathers covering the torso and arms, giving it a ruffled look. It had a grey beak and legs, with the toes being shaped like talons. It's eyes were black and it reminded Sam of some kind of large black bird.

''A crow? Or a raven?'' she muttered, glancing at Springtrap. ''I'd say that it's supposed to be a raven.''

''This is the animatronic that was decommissioned,'' he said, frowning.

''Why would they leave it here?'' Sam asked, with Springtrap stepping closer and crouching next to it.

''I don't know,'' he said, tilting his head. ''If this was Freddy's, I wouldn't have been surprised to see this guy here. After all, they hid the Spring Bonnie suit and pretended it never existed. However, this raven animatronic wasn't even part of Ricky's Wonder Shack, yet it is here.''

He then reached out for the animatronic, planning to examine it. However, before he could do that, not only did he saw static covering his vision, but there was also a weird buzzing sound that irritated his senses. He clutched his head, standing up and backing away from the raven animatronic. The static and the buzzing sound stopped.

''Spring, are you okay?'' Sam asked in a worried tone.

''Yeah, I'm fine,'' Springtrap replied, feeling a little confused. What he just felt wasn't a hallucination, but rather something different. He stared at the raven animatronic. ''Something's wrong with it.''

Suddenly, the animatronic started to trash around, opening its beak and let out a loud screech. Sam covered her ears, her head hurting from the loud sound. However, something felt wrong about it. It was mechanical, but she felt as if she heard something else. She glanced at Springtrap, who was staring at the animatronic, looking stunned. He then turned to her.

''Sam, we need to get out of this place,'' he said. ''Now!''

She nodded, quickly following him outside. She briefly glanced back at the animatronic, who was trashing again, his eyes glowing brightly. Springtrap quickly closed the door, with both of them hearing a click as it got automatically locked.

Sam looked into the main area, surprised to see it being empty. She glanced back at Springtrap, who nodded, and they quickly made their way out of the building. To their luck, they only saw Max coming towards them just as they closed the back entrance and locked it. Sam glanced at Springtrap, looking stunned.

''What was that?''

Before Springtrap could answer her, they heard a car approaching the building and quickly hid in the alley. They saw the car stopping at the parking lot, with a man in his mid-20s exiting it. Sam noticed that he had brown hair and wore a blue shirt, which was the uniform of the employees who worked at Ricky's Wonder Shack. Sam then felt a tug on her shoulder and turned to Springtrap.

''We need to leave,'' he whispered. She nodded and quickly followed him.

**xXx**

Connor entered the building through the back door, noticing Max in the hallway suddenly turning towards him. He smirked, taking out a small black remote-like device and pushed the button on it. The cat animatronic suddenly stopped, staring at him as the man walked past, looking completely unperturbed by the animatronic's strange reaction.

''I'll deal with you and your friends later,'' Connor muttered under his breath, briefly glancing at Max.

He then entered the main area, walking over to the room behind the stage. Dahlia, Quentin and Virgil were also inside, but they made no move towards him. Connor looked around curiously, noticing that Ricky was missing.

''Where could he be?'' he said, only for his attention to be drawn by the open door that led to the room behind the stage. He looked inside it, seeing Ricky being leaned against the wall and turned off. He frowned, knowing well that he wasn't the one who left him like this. However, he knew that he wouldn't find out who did it either, as he was the one who kept the cameras off during the night.

Deciding to deal with this later, he stepped towards the mirror, lifting it up and turning the switch, which unlocked the hidden door. Stepping inside, he saw the raven-like animatronic trashing around, his black eyes glowing brightly as he noticed Connor.

''It's time to move away, buddy,'' Connor told the animatronic. ''I'm sorry, but I can't keep you here.''

The animatronic suddenly screeched, trashing even more when Connor approached him, but he was unable to stand up. He looked almost afraid of the man.

''I know it hurts, but I promise you, the pain will eventually stop,'' Connor said, but the animatronic didn't stop. Connor frowned, then reached over for the wire and disconnected it from the battery. The animatronic stopped trashing, but his eyes were still glowing. ''Seems like you still haven't figured out how to move properly.''

He stood up, staring at the animatronic. However, his mind was focused on that strange bunny he saw, and his glowing purple eyes. He had to wonder whether his mind was just playing a trick on him, or whether the bunny was real. If it was indeed real, then…

''Didn't Freddy's have some kind of bunny animatronic?'' he muttered, then smirked. ''Maybe I should look into it a little more.''

He needed to know. He needed to find out whether he could stand on the line between life and death.

**xXx**

''That was absolutely insane!'' Sam said as she and Springtrap walked back home. ''That animatronic, the Raven, he's completely different than Ricky and the others.''

''So, you're calling him The Raven?'' Springtrap asked.

''Or just Raven,'' Sam said, shrugging. ''The point is, that screech we heard; it wasn't purely mechanical. Hell, it sounded like he was in pain.''

''Not only that,'' Springtrap said, frowning. Sam looked at him with a curious look on her expression. ''When he screeched, I could swear that I saw something else. It looked like some kind of distorted face, but with its eyes gouged out. It was only brief and I doubt that it was a hallucination.''

''So, you think that Raven might be haunted?'' Sam asked. Springtrap nodded.

''However, it does feel strange. I mean, I saw other haunted animatronics, but this guy doesn't give me the same vibe,'' Springtrap explained. ''I just can't figure out why.''

''I'm sure we'll find out what exactly happened. I bet it is related to that accident that caused him to become decommissioned,'' Sam said. ''Speaking of which, who was that guy? The new night guard?''

''Actually, I saw that man before,'' Springtrap replied. ''It was during our first night there. I told you that someone lingered in the room with the costumes and I'm quite sure that it was him.''

''It could be possible that he's Ricky's actor,'' Sam said. ''If that's true, than he may have come tonight to check on the animatronics, specifically, on Raven.''

''He'll know that we were there,'' Springtrap said, with a look of guilt on his expression. ''I forgot to activate Ricky when we left.''

''It doesn't matter anymore. We have the information we need,'' Sam said. ''Now we need to find out what was that accident that caused Raven to be decommissioned and for that, we need to go to the Machinations Factory.''

''Right,'' Springtrap nodded. He was already looking forward to it, although, there was still something else on his mind, something that bothered him. _If he's trying to create haunted animatronics, he doesn't seem to be really good at it. If he's aware of that, he probably won't stop until he's satisfied. After all, he doesn't have the knowledge that I have._

Springtrap turned to Sam, with a determined look on his expression.

''Rest assured, I won't let anyone copy what I had achieved,'' he said, with Sam nodding. ''Those haunted animatronics – they're my legacy.''


	17. My Curse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alexander_Wesker: Thanks for the review! I am glad you (and other readers) are enjoying this story. If you have any questions about it, I'll be glad to answer them (as long as it doesn't concern spoilers).

**Night 16**

**My Curse**

_''So here we are, my body inside this nightmare. Don't you stare for too long at my curse. It happened too fast, what happened in the past is something I would constantly rehearse. I'M AGGRESSIVE! NIGHTMARE UNLEASHED! FEAST YOUR EYES ON MY MAGNETIC, DEMISE BENEATH, ALL THE TATTERED WIRES, YOUR FUTILE DEMISE WILL BECOME YOUR CURSE!''_

_– **I'm The Purple Guy** by DAGames_

**xXxXxXx**

''Honestly, I don't get it,'' Sam said as she and Springtrap walked into her yard. ''Why would anyone believe that this is possible?''

''Even if what happened was considered to be some kind of scary story, that doesn't mean that everyone will consider it to be just a bunch of rumors,'' Springtrap replied.

''I understand that, but still…'' Sam said as she opened the door.

''Hey, Sam!''

Springtrap froze when he heard Emma's voice coming from the living room. He completely forgot that she would be at home, probably still awake and waiting for them to return. Sam, on the other hand, didn't look at all disturbed by that fact.

''Hi, Mum!'' she said cheerfully, then glanced back at Springtrap, who sighed and walked inside. He saw that Emma was sitting on the couch, watching some TV show. She got up, giving them a curious look.

''So, have you found what you searched for?'' she asked as she approached them, carefully observing Sam. Springtrap had the feeling that she wanted to make sure that Sam didn't suffer from any other injuries.

''In a way,'' Sam replied, glancing at Springtrap. ''We'll be upstairs if you need us.''

''Okay,'' Emma said, crossing her arms and smirking. Sam went upstairs, while Springtrap lingered a little, noticing Emma's questioning look.

''Honestly, I don't know whether I could get used to this,'' he said.

''Neither do I,'' Emma replied in an icy tone.

Springtrap shuddered, knowing well that, in order to keep Sam happy, they'd have to tolerate each other's presence. Whether they wanted it or not, both had come to the terms that they would have to let it work out somehow. Ironically, both of them wanted to keep Sam safe and happy, but they felt that they could do that without the presence of the other.

''In any case, she's a lot more joyful than she used to be,'' Emma said, her stern gaze softening as she glanced upstairs and then back at Springtrap. ''Whenever I told her to liven up a little, she would always give me that dead-eyed look. I mean, you could find more cheer on a graveyard.''

''I can imagine that,'' Springtrap muttered.

''Now, it feels as if someone flipped a switch,'' Emma added, snapping her fingers. ''I understand that this is because of you, but I still have no clue why she likes you so much.''

''To be honest, I don't know either,'' Springtrap told her, with Emma rising an eyebrow. ''I understand that you don't want me here, and I probably would've been long gone if it weren't for Sam insisting on me staying here…''

''You don't have to explain anything, I get it,'' Emma said, noticing Springtrap's confused expression. ''If there was something wrong, she would've already asked for my help. As much as I'd gladly incinerate you, I won't do that for her sake.''

''You have a lot more patience than anyone else in your situation would have,'' Springtrap said. Emma smiled.

''I'll take that as a compliment,'' she said, with Springtrap giving her a curious look. He had expected her to threaten him again, but it seemed that she had accepted the situation the way it was. However, he shuddered when he saw her gaze suddenly changing to a more serious one. ''Listen, Afton, I told you that I have decided to give you a chance, regardless of your past actions. If you screw up, what happens afterwards is going to be your own damn fault and you're certainly not getting another chance.''

''I know,'' Springtrap said in a quiet tone, feeling like a child who got scolded by their parent for trying to touch a hot stove. ''You wouldn't be telling me this if you didn't perceive me as a danger to Sam. Not only because I hurt her, but also because of what I had done in my past.''

''Exactly,'' Emma said. ''Unless you want to show that you're not the same man you used to be.''

Springtrap gave her a look that was a mix of surprise and curiosity. He wanted to question her further, but was stopped when he heard Sam calling for him.

''Spring, are you coming?''

''I'll be there soon,'' he replied, then looked back at Emma, who looked quite calm, if not even content. He gave her a determined look. ''Rest assured, I am not going to hurt Sam. I'd rather go back to Hell than do that.''

''Then, I hope you won't have to go back to Hell,'' Emma said, with Springtrap looking stunned. She then walked away to lock the door and continue watching whatever TV show was on it. Springtrap just stood there, trying to process what Emma told him. He smiled, a confident look on his expression, and went upstairs.

Sam had already changed in her PJs, sitting on her bed and looking at her smartphone. She looked up once Springtrap entered the room, looking eager.

''Are you okay?'' she asked him as he sat down on the other end of her bed.

''I think so,'' he said, then glanced at her. ''I just feel a little lost.''

''Did Mum threaten you again?'' Sam asked.

''Not really,'' he said. ''She actually made me appreciate your support even more.''

''What did she say?'' Sam asked curiously, albeit she did sound a little suspicious.

''I just told her that I'd rather go to Hell than hurt you, and she told me that she hopes that I won't go to Hell then,'' Springtrap said, then fell silent. ''I understand that she said that because she's worried about you getting hurt, but…''

''I think she also understands that you wouldn't be able to live with yourself if that ever happened,'' Sam said in a sympathetic tone.

''Yeah…'' Springtrap muttered, with his green and silver eyes then lighting up. ''In any case, we have another issue to deal with, like the Raven.''

''True,'' Sam said. ''You said that there was something different about the Raven.''

''I am convinced that he is indeed haunted, as the evidence points towards that conclusion, but something just doesn't feel right,'' Springtrap said, frowning as he thought about it. He simply couldn't explain why he had this odd feeling. ''Speaking of which, my guess is that maybe someone died in a work-related accident.''

''You mean, being killed by the animatronic?'' Sam said. ''It wouldn't be the first time it happened.''

''Or maybe not,'' Springtrap muttered. The animatronic was haunted, he was certain about that. However, his feeling told him that this wasn't quite the case. Still, the scream he heard and the strange, distorted face he saw told him otherwise. ''Honestly, I'm not sure whether that animatronic is really haunted or not.''

''Even if it isn't, it is clear that something went wrong and people wanted to forget about that animatronic,'' Sam said. ''Still, if they wanted to forget Raven, why keeping him at Ricky's? Why not leave him at the Machinations Factory? Although, it is possible that Ricky's actor brought him there.''

''Not to mention, he returned to probably check on him. Still, you said that it wouldn't be necessary anymore to go there after hours,'' Springtrap said, giving Sam a questioning look.

''We have the photos of the documents, we know that there had been some incident and we know that Ricky's actor killed a guy. For now, that should be enough information,'' Sam said. ''Now, we need to focus on what exactly happened at the Machinations Factory.''

''Do you already have something in mind?'' Springtrap asked her.

''Not really, but I'll figure something out,'' Sam replied, albeit sounding quite excited.

Springtrap was really glad to see her like this. Surprisingly, he felt quite relaxed, despite what had happened the previous night and this morning. He guessed that this was because of Sam's encouragement and the fact that he didn't feel so stressed out over the possibility of having to leave her. _I feel like it has been ages since I didn't have to worry so much about everything._

**xXx**

Later that night, Springtrap was pacing in the guest room, or rather, his room. He wasn't sure whether to call it that, but considering that he wouldn't be leaving so soon, he figured he could get used to that idea. He was quite sure that Sam probably wouldn't have anything against it, but Emma was a different case, which is why he decided to keep that idea to himself.

The reason why he felt so restless was because the image of Raven kept popping up in his mind. He just couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something familiar about Raven's situation, but he couldn't remember where he had seen it before, that is, if he had seen it before.

_I'm certain that I have experienced this before, but I just can't figure out when that happened._

He suddenly stopped and looked up when the door opened. To his surprise, it was Emma who apparently decided to check on him before she went to sleep.

''Hey, Afton, you're still awake?'' she asked. Springtrap shrugged.

''Even if I could fall asleep, I have an issue I need to deal with first,'' he told her. Emma's eyes narrowed.

''What kind of issue?''

''I have this weird feeling that there is something I should know or remember, which is connected with this issue. However, I simply cannot figure out what exactly it is,'' Springtrap replied.

''I see,'' Emma muttered, thinking for a bit. ''Have you tried to associate other things you do remember with this feeling? Maybe you can narrow down what exactly you were meant to know or remember this way. It always works with me.''

''Maybe I could,'' Springtrap said as he thought about her suggestion. ''Thanks, Emma.''

''You can thank me by not getting yourself into trouble,'' Emma replied, with Springtrap giving her an anxious look. She smiled. ''Good night!''

Springtrap sighed once she closed the door.

''Why me?''

He shook his head, figuring he should concentrate on what Emma told him.

_So, Sam and I have assumed that Raven is probably haunted. However, I feel that this might not be completely true, but I don't know why. Therefore, I need to figure out why I have this feeling._

He looked down at his hands and at the animatronic suit that was now his body.

_When it comes to haunted animatronics, the soul needs to be connected to the particular animatronic in some way._

He closed his eyes, trying visualize the animatronics he knew that they had at some point a soul attached to them. He could picture the stage with Freddy, Bonnie, Chica and Foxy on it. He could see the Puppet slowly emerging out from its box. There was also a vivid vision of Circus Baby shaking, the pieces inside her being all bloody as he attempted to take out her only victim…

_No, that's not it…_

He focused on his own demise, remembering the agony he felt as the metallic pieces and parts were rammed into his body, piercing through his skin, muscle and organs, slowly killing him. He shuddered, but concentrated on what happened afterwards.

_I was trapped inside the animatronic and my soul was tied to it._

He opened his eyes, which flared purple. He frowned.

_All the deaths were incredibly violent, but does the soul really follow the pain? It seems so. The main point is that your soul is tied to the animatronic in some way._

He could see the man sitting across him in that small room, which was only illuminated by a dim light.

_It doesn't have to be an animatronic. It can be your own body._

His mind went back to his workshop, to him looking over his blueprints as he realized that there was a possibility to keep a soul trapped even if the actual body died. Still, there had been some issues with that.

_Not every death results in a possession._

He tilted his head, feeling that he was going in the right direction. He remembered Circus Baby and the change from her blue eyes to green as she got possessed by Elizabeth's soul.

_Then, there's the AI…_

It had been quite difficult, but he had managed to overcome the Spring Bonnie AI and take over the animatronic, something he felt Elizabeth never achieved. Instead, the soul and the AI merged together, creating a new consciousness that took full control over Scrap Baby.

_All those little pieces… All those souls…_

He suddenly realized what was wrong. He felt that it was a slight oversight on his part, but finally finding out what exactly was bothering him made him feel relief. He also felt a little excited, eager to share that information with Sam. He went towards the door, only to stop as he realized that Sam was already asleep and that he probably shouldn't wake her up.

He then frowned, figuring that he could risk it. He was sure that Sam probably wouldn't be angry at him if he told her what he found out, as he felt that it was really important for her to know. However, as he reached for the door knob, he suddenly had a vision of an angry Emma. He still remembered her warning from the previous night, feeling that she would kick him out if she found him roaming through the house again.

He fumed, annoyed about it, but he really didn't want to deal with Emma in case she found him in Sam's room again. She probably wouldn't force him to leave permanently, but he was quite sure that he would spend the rest of the night locked out of the house until Emma decided to let him in.

He sat back on the couch, knowing there were still several hours to spare until Sam and Emma would wake up. It was a little frustrating, but he felt that he could work with it. After all, it was just a few hours, right? He could wait that long.

Springtrap's ears lowered as he sighed.

_Only that every minute feels like a year._

**xXx**

Springtrap was reading one of the novels Sam borrowed him, but he couldn't concentrate on it. He was waiting for at least one person to wake up so he knew that he could leave the room. The moment he heard someone going downstairs, Springtrap dashed towards the door.

He assumed that it was Emma, as he knew that Sam would check on him. He peeked into the hallway, hearing clattering from downstairs, before sneaking into Sam's room and opening the door as quietly possible. As he expected, Sam was still asleep. He closed the door and walked over to her, crouching down as he observed her.

_Please, wake up soon._

He wanted to wait for her to wake up on her own, but the more minutes passed, the more impatient he started to grow.

_Calm down, let her sleep._

His eyes started to glow purple as he clutched the edge of Sam's bed, keeping himself in balance as he stared at her. To be honest, patience wasn't his strong suit.

_You have to wait… You know what, forget it!_

He reached over and poked her nose. When she didn't react, he gently scratched her cheek, hoping that it would wake her up. She just waved her hand and turned her back to him, continuing to sleep. He leaned over and scratched her cheek again. This time, it seemed to work, as Sam opened her eyes. He titled his head, a wide grin on his expression. However, Sam looked annoyed.

''What is it?'' she asked, still half-asleep.

''I figured out what might be wrong with Raven,'' Springtrap said excitedly. ''I think this might be a case of incomplete possession.''

''Great,'' Sam said, smiling and then lied back down to continue sleeping. Springtrap's ears lowered and he felt a little disappointed by her reaction. However, he decided to wait a little. A few seconds later, Sam suddenly turned back to him, giving him a confused look. ''What do you mean, 'incomplete possession'?''

''Don't worry, I'll explain you everything in detail once you're wide awake,'' Springtrap replied, grinning. ''I've been waiting the whole night to tell you that.''

''I assume you didn't want to risk Mum's wrath by sneaking into my room,'' Sam said as she got up, with Springtrap nodding. ''Okay, I'm up, but you'll need to leave the room.''

Springtrap's ears rose up as she pointed at the door, only for him to give her a nervous smile and exiting the room, waiting in the hallway. He was still excited to talk to Sam, and hear her opinion on what he found out. A few minutes later, Sam exited the room, with the two going downstairs and joining Emma in the kitchen. She looked surprised to see Sam, giving Springtrap a suspicious look.

''Someone's up early,'' she said, with Sam yawning.

''Yeah…'' Sam muttered. ''Say, Mum, could I borrow the car today?''

''Why?''

Sam and Springtrap exchanged glances and Sam sighed.

''We want to explore an abandoned factory and we need the car to get there,'' Sam explained. Emma crossed her arms, giving both a questioning look, as if contemplating whether to let them go. Sam and Springtrap felt a little anxious.

''Okay, fine,'' she said, much to their surprise. ''But only under the condition that you drive me to work and back. Also, I have read the weather report and they say that it might start raining today or tomorrow, so you better bring an umbrella with you.'' She rolled her eyes when she saw that Sam and Springtrap didn't really believe her. ''I told you two my conditions and I'm keeping my promise as long as you keep yours. Besides, when was the last time I didn't let you go anywhere?''

''You're the best!'' Sam grinned.

''I hope I'll remain the best,'' Emma replied. She then glanced at Springtrap. ''So, did you manage to recall whatever you needed to remember?''

''Yes, I did,'' Springtrap replied, noticing the smile of satisfaction Emma had. He felt that it was a little strange that Emma didn't fight back a little more, or at least held any grudge against him aside from being distrustful. He knew that her decisions were also based on Sam's decisions, but still, he felt weird about it. He kept quiet during the rest of breakfast, patiently waiting for Sam to finish eating.

''So, do you think you can pick me up after work?'' Emma asked Sam.

''I guess,'' she said, with Springtrap glancing at her. ''I don't plan on staying out too late.''  
''Why not?'' Emma asked curiously.

''Because the current circumstances don't allow that,'' Sam replied, then stood up and placed her bowl in the dishwasher. Emma gave Springtrap a questioning look, with him shrugging, looking just as confused as she was.

''She's the boss,'' he replied. ''I just go along with whatever she has on mind.''  
''I see,'' Emma said as he stood up, following Sam upstairs.

He still felt a little weirded out by how calm the morning was. He had expected that his anxiety would once again skyrocket in Emma's presence, or that he would have to deal with her threats, but other than her questioning them about their plans, it was relatively normal. He wasn't sure how to feel about that, but he had other things on mind.

''Okay, I'm wide awake now,'' Sam said as he closed the door to her room. ''What was that about an 'incomplete possession'?''

''To be honest, I am not completely sure that my theory is correct, but it does explain the weird feeling I had,'' Springtrap said, with Sam sitting down on the chair. ''You know that, when an animatronic becomes haunted, that the soul stays attached to it, unable to move on unless the animatronic gets damaged.''

''Yeah, and the best way to do that is using heat,'' Sam said.

''Right. Now, there are a few things I noticed with the Raven that were completely different than my actual experience with haunted animatronics,'' Springtrap said. ''You see, after becoming a hybrid myself, I became capable of sensing the presence of other trapped souls. So, when I met Elizabeth and Charlie again, I instantly knew that they were still trapped inside the Scrap Baby and Puppet animatronics.''

''But you didn't have the same feeling when you were next to Raven,'' Sam said, with Springtrap nodding.

''I am certain that the animatronic was possessed in a way, but it wasn't the same thing as what happened to me or the others,'' Springtrap added. ''Therefore, it might be some kind of incomplete possession, with the soul being only partially tied to the animatronic.''

''How would that occur?'' Sam asked.

''I am not completely sure about it, but I do have a few ideas,'' Springtrap said. ''You remember the Toy Animatronics, right?''

''Yeah, the ones who replaced the Withereds at the '87 location,'' Sam said. ''Were they haunted?''

''No, at least not in the same sense as the Withereds,'' Springtrap replied. ''Technically, they were just following their programming, but our little encounter with Raven reminded me of something else. I assume that you are aware that the company used some old parts from the Withereds and put them in the Toys and _vice versa_.''

''Now that you're mentioning it, Phone Guy did mention that in his calls,'' Sam said, curious about where Springtrap was going with this. A second later, it dawned her. ''Wait, do you want to say that those parts had something to do with the Toys' behavior?''

''They did. While the Toys weren't haunted, they had been influenced by those additional parts, which already had a soul attached to them,'' Springtrap explained, his eyes glowing purple. ''Those parts were coated in remnant.''

''Remnant keeps a soul attached to whatever it was supposed to be attached to,'' Sam said, then rose an eyebrow as she thought about it. ''But, what about Raven's situation…''

''I'll come to that in a moment, but first, there's another thing I need to cover. Something I personally experienced,'' Springtrap said. ''When it comes to letting the soul becoming attached to an animatronic, you also need to take the animatronic's AI into consideration.''

''You told me that you had to fight against the Spring Bonnie AI in order to finally take control over the animatronic,'' Sam said.

''Exactly,'' Springtrap said, crossing his arms on his back. ''However, this isn't the only outcome. In Elizabeth's case, her soul and Circus Baby's AI merged together. Also, when you look at the other animatronics, the souls inside them never really had full control over them, which means that the AI overpowered their mind, while leaving only the most important memories.''

''Like being murdered by an adult,'' Sam said in an icy tone, with Springtrap lowering his head. He sighed.

''You should also know that possession doesn't always occur,'' he added. ''Also, you don't have to be necessarily stuffed inside the suit to possess it, but you need to be in close proximity to it.''

''I understand,'' Sam replied. ''So, what's Raven's deal?''

''I do believe that someone was indeed killed and that their soul attempted to possess Raven, but they weren't exactly successful,'' Springtrap explained, his eyes flaring purple. ''What we saw were probably the remains of that event, and I assume that the consciousness merged partially with the AI, meaning the AI is following the soul's pain, even if the soul isn't there. I might be wrong, but this is the conclusion I came to.''

''Well, you have more experience with that than I do,'' Sam said. Springtrap frowned.

''I wish I had more time to examine Raven, but it is obvious that I won't be able to do that since it is getting too risky to go back to Ricky's after hours,'' he said.

''Still, we can visit the factory,'' Sam replied. ''I doubt that Ricky's actor can just leave in the middle of his performance to go there and check on everything.''

''So, that's why you plan to go there earlier,'' Springtrap said. ''Smart move.''

''We need to be out sometime before Ricky's Wonder Shack closes for the day,'' Sam added. ''Hopefully we will find something.''

**xXx**

''I assume everything went well last night,'' Emma said as Sam drove her to the store.

''More than well, but we won't be returning there so soon,'' Sam replied. Emma gave her a surprised look.

''Really? Why not?'' Emma asked. ''I told you you're free to go as long as you stay safe.''

''That's not the issue,'' Sam replied. ''I'm afraid that Ricky's will hire a new night guard soon and I don't want to deal with that.''

''What about this factory you were talking about earlier?'' Emma asked.

''It's abandoned,'' Sam replied, frowning. ''Although, someone else is using whatever was left behind.'' She glanced at her mother. ''The factory used to make animatronics and they apparently closed a while after making the animatronics that are now mascots at Ricky's.''

''I see,'' Emma said, with Sam parking in front of the store. ''I wish you good luck with it. Also, I was serious about you picking me up.''

''I know, I know,'' Sam replied, smiling. As she drove away, she knew well that her mother was more concerned with Sam returning home safely rather than picking her up.

After she went to the locksmith to get a copy of the keys for Freddy's, she sneaked inside the restaurant to leave the original keys on the table in the manager's office for someone to find them and finally lock the place to keep intruders away. Then, she went to Ricky's, deciding to check whether the mascot's actor was indeed there. After buying herself a milkshake, she nonchalantly walked up to the stage, observing the animatronics. Ricky was missing, which meant that the costume version of him was roaming around the place. She knew that, in that case, once he noticed her, he would approach her as usual.

Still, she did feel chills flowing down her spine when she heard his voice coming from behind her. She turned around, only to be greeted by Ricky smiling at her.

''Ah, hello there! It is great to see you again!'' he said in a chipper tone. Sam forced a smile.

''Um, sure,'' she said, lifting her drink. ''I can't get enough of those.''

''I see,'' Ricky said in a curious tone. ''But I thought you were returning because of me and my friends.''

''Well, I've been more interested in Freddy's recently,'' Sam said nervously. She knew that the guy beneath the mask was glaring at her, considering how silent he was. Still, she decided to continue to play dumb. ''In any case…''

''Connor-ah, I meant Ricky!'' A female employee approached them, quickly correcting herself in order to keep the masquerade. ''The family there in the corner wanted to take some photos with you.''

''No problem! Thank you for informing me, Bella.'' The guy in the costume said, glancing back at Sam, who seemed to be focused more on her drink rather than on their conversation. ''I hope you'll enjoy your stay here!''

''Me too,'' Sam muttered, watching him leave. His co-worker, Bella, gave her a nervous glance.

''Is there anything I can do for you?'' she asked in a polite tone.

''No, thanks,'' Sam replied. ''I'm just enjoying myself.''

''That's good to hear,'' Bella replied, leaving her. The moment both she and Ricky were out of her sight, Sam quickly left the place.

**xXx**

Back at home, the moment Sam opened the door, she heard a strange noise, with Springtrap suddenly standing in the hallway holding her bag and an umbrella. She gave him a curious look, with him shrugging.

''Didn't Emma say that it would be raining?'' he asked. ''So, when are we going?''

''You're quite eager to leave,'' Sam remarked, with Springtrap looking flustered. ''It's okay, I know how you feel, as I also want to leave as soon as possible.'' She smiled. ''Let's go.''

Springtrap, still feeling a little flustered, followed her outside, with Sam locking the door and entering the car. She then pulled out of the driveway and drove towards where the factory was.

''Have you managed to leave the keys?'' Springtrap asked her.

''Yeah,'' Sam replied, narrowing her eyes. ''We're doing them a favor at this point. Speaking of which, Ricky's actor has a name, Connor.''

''How did you find that out?'' Springtrap asked her.

''When I went to Ricky's to check on him, to make sure that he was indeed there, one of his co-workers accidentally called him by his actual name,'' Sam replied.

''I wonder if he had figured out that we know more than we should,'' Springtrap said.

''I'm not sure,'' Sam replied. ''He didn't seem to be suspicious of me. However, he did seem to be irritated when I told him that I was still more interested in the animatronics at Freddy's.''

''Honestly, I am worried that he might lash out at you, as he obviously dislikes your opinion,'' Springtrap said in a worried tone. ''Speaking of which, I do approve of your mindset,'' he added, with a smug grin on his expression. Sam chuckled. ''Although, I don't like the fact that he's so interested in you…''

He trailed off once he realized what he was about to say. As much as he wanted to cast himself in a better light, he knew that he wasn't better than Connor.

''Will, it's okay.'' Springtrap rose his head, noticing Sam's sympathetic look. ''You're still less of a creep than Ricky's actor in my opinion.''

''Sam, I don't think…'' Springtrap winced when he got cut off by Sam.

''William, I know what you want to tell me, but think about it,'' she said. ''Do I look like I'm uncomfortable while I'm here right next to you?''

''No, but I do remember that there were a few times you looked like you were scared of me,'' Springtrap replied.

''That was because I knew that there were some serious issues we needed to deal with,'' Sam replied.

''Then, I'm not sure...'' Springtrap glanced at her, looking content. ''Although, I do remember all the times you smiled because of me.''

''Exactly,'' Sam replied, grinning.

**xXx**

The flashlights illuminated the empty hallway. While it still was day, it was dark inside the factory. Sam and Springtrap decided against turning the power on, as they feared that someone would notice it.

''At least we have enough time to explore this place,'' Sam said, looking at her smartphone. ''Unless Connor leaves earlier for some reason.''

''Considering what you told me about it, I sincerely doubt that he would want to leave his precious 'friends' until the location is closed,'' Springtrap said dryly. ''Rest assured, we are not alone here.''

Sam nodded, with the two managing to find the hallway where they found the room with the strange endoskeleton. As they entered and illuminated the room, they saw the endoskeleton, but this time, with its head off. Sam felt bad for it, with Springtrap approaching the endoskeleton, examining it, and then turning his attention to the head, picking it up and pointing the flashlight at it.

''Someone tore its head off,'' he said, looking at the dent on the side of the head. ''That someone certainly wasn't happy.''

''At least we are certain that this endoskeleton is not suffering anymore,'' Sam said in a deadpan tone. ''Still, you're right. Something went wrong or he wasn't satisfied with whatever results he had gotten from this endoskeleton.''

Springtrap placed the head back where he found it, still pointing his flashlight at the endoskeleton.

''We should move on,'' he said. ''There might be more of those endoskeletons.''

They exited the room, continuing to the next one, further down the hallway. As Sam opened it, she saw a strange object in the corner of the room, as well as a crescent-shaped object on the nearby table.

''What is that?'' Springtrap asked as the two entered the room. Sam approached the object in the corner, noticing that it were two tanks connected to several tubes. There was also a strange smell in the air, but when she tried to lift one of the tanks, it was surprisingly light.

''It smells like… gasoline?'' Sam narrowed her eyes, placing the empty tanks back. ''Is this supposed to be some kind of makeshift flamethrower?''

''Why do you think that this is a flamethrower?'' Springtrap asked her. Sam glanced at him.

''I tend to look up weird stuff on YouTube when there's nothing interesting to do. One guy eliminated an entire hornet nest with a homemade flamethrower, although that one was made from hairspray and a lighter. It was awesome,'' she said, grinning.

''Sounds brutal,'' Springtrap said in an amused tone, then walked over to the object on the table. ''A sickle?''

He placed the flashlight on the table, lifting the heavy metallic object, with Sam illuminating it with her own flashlight.

''I don't think that that can be used,'' Sam said, looking at the crescent-like object. ''Why would it even be here?''

''Search me,'' Springtrap said as he placed it back, then tilted his head. ''Maybe, it isn't a sickle… If you attach this part to an arm, it would look like a huge hook.''

''You're right, but why would he need that?'' Sam asked.

''Honestly, I don't think that we want to know,'' Springtrap told her, taking the flashlight and exited the room. Sam lingered a little, but soon joined him, continuing their search. They found themselves back at where the area with the conveyor belt, noticing that the parts and pieces were moved since the last time they were here. That didn't strike the two as strange, as they assumed that Connor would've used the parts for whatever animatronics he was working on. Instead of going towards the hallway they went last time, they went to the door behind the conveyor belt. It led to another hallway, with them checking the first room they came across.

''What the hell is this?'' Sam asked, with her and Springtrap staring at it in surprise. The room was filled with animatronic parts. Arms, legs, torsos, heads… Some parts were rather bulky and generic, made to fit any kind of animatronic, but there were some parts that certainly weren't made to fit a child-friendly robot.

Sam spotted what looked like a long, yellow arm with three fingers, or rather, claws. There were also spiky protrusions on the back of the arm. Springtrap meanwhile examined what looked like a slender lavender leg with clawed toes.

''What is he doing?'' he muttered, stunned by their discovery.

''There don't seem to be any blueprints or indications of what those things are,'' Sam said as she examined a long, clawed arm covered in strings and thin wires. It looked like it was broken. Springtrap moved the flashlight slowly across the room, observing every part of it.

''It feels as if he's trying to create something, but doesn't know it either,'' Springtrap said. ''There are too many parts and none of them make much sense. Even if he tries to create multiple animatronics, it's just too chaotic.''

''Perhaps he's experimenting with the parts, using some of them and throwing away other parts,'' Sam suggested. ''It's pretty wasteful if you ask me.''

''I agree,'' Springtrap said. ''We should check the other rooms.''

''Wait a sec,'' Sam said, taking out her smartphone and snapping a few photos of the room. Then, they went to the next room, a little further down the corridor.

Once they entered it, they saw a table with some tools on it and an endoskeleton sitting in the corner. It looked similar to the one they had seen, but it was filthy, being covered in brown and red smears, and didn't move at all. Another, cleaner endoskeleton was also inside the room, but it was just as inactive as the other one. Springtrap examined them, noticing that, while the first endoskeleton's limbs could move, the second one's couldn't.

''Those smears, that's blood,'' he said.

''There's blood here as well,'' Sam said, pointing at the table. ''If there's one thing I'm sure about, it is that this guy has a few screws loose.''

''We should go check the last room and then see if there's anything else here,'' Springtrap told her. Sam nodded and, after taking another photo, followed him to the last room in the corridor. Once they entered it, it appeared that they were in some kind of boiler room, with a furnace inside it. To their surprise, they found Raven there.

''Okay, this was unexpected,'' Sam said, looking at the animatronic. ''It looks like Connor came back last night to move him here.''

Springtrap crouched next to the animatronic, observing him. This time, he didn't hear any buzzing or saw any static.

''Spring?'' He turned to Sam, who looked worried.

''I'm fine,'' he said. ''But, there's no buzzing or static. There isn't anything there, as if it's not the same animatronic we saw the previous night.''

Curious, he took the mask off and examined the wires on the head. Just as he had hoped, the Raven also had the same black device connected to his system as Ricky had.

''Sam, could you go back to that room with the tools and get me the screwdriver?'' he asked.

''Sure!'' Sam nodded and ran out of the room. Springtrap continued to examine Raven. The wire was still attached to the battery, so he wasn't deactivated. However, he didn't react at all when Springtrap attempted lifted his arm or tried leaned him over to take a closer look at him. He then glanced at the furnace, frowning.

_Is it possible that…_

''Here!'' He looked at Sam, who gave him the screwdriver. He nodded, turning back to the animatronic and disconnected the wire from the battery, then moved the wires that were covering the black device.

''Sam, could you please hold these wires?'' he said, with Sam crouching next to the animatronic and lifting the wires while also pointing her flashlight at it, watching as Springtrap attempted to get the black device out. After a few minutes, he managed to take it out, examining it under the light of Sam's flashlight. It was scratched and there seemed to be a switch on the other side. Springtrap then looked at Sam. ''We should go check on the other endoskeletons and see whether they have the same device.''

Sam nodded, with Springtrap then returning Raven back to his previous state. The two then left, checking the room with the two endoskeletons. However, none of them had the same black device. They then exited the corridor, returning back to the area with the conveyor belt.

''Sam, remember when I told you about what I think what happened to Raven?'' Springtrap asked her, with Sam nodding. ''I believe that he had been left before at the boiler room, next to the furnace, and that the heat from it probably caused him to enter this state, where the AI merged with what remained of the soul. The AI had probably been echoing the pain and agony the soul went through.''

''Sounds kinda like Ennard, that is, Molten Freddy,'' Sam said.

''Yes, but Ennard is a different story,'' Springtrap replied. ''We still haven't figured out what happened here, though.''

''Honestly, I think we should go back home and return here another day,'' Sam said, glancing at her smartphone. ''We've been here for hours. Besides, we did find out a few things about this place.''

''True,'' Springtrap muttered, looking at the black device in his hand. ''Although, I would really like to know why this is happening. After all, being trapped inside an animatronic is like a curse. The soul will try to find a way to free itself.''

''Still, you're an exception,'' Sam said, with a sly smile on her expression.

''Sam, I am also cursed, being trapped like this,'' Springtrap replied. ''The only reason why I'm an exception is because I have accepted my curse. It drove me insane, but the soul still lived. The Springtrap has risen.''

''Apparently, he's not alone,'' Sam said, with Springtrap giving her a curious look. ''I'm still here and I know the story. Still, it is interesting to hear it over and over again.''

Springtrap grinned, then looked at the black device in his hand, clenching his fist.

_This is my curse, but my demise didn't mean the end of my life or my plans. In fact, the show has just begun._

**xXx**

Heavy black clouds were forming on the horizon, with Sam biting her lip, hoping that they would get back home before the rain started. Springtrap was meanwhile still looking at the black device he got from Raven. He seemed to be tired.

''Will?''

''What is it?'' Springtrap looked at her, with Sam briefly glancing at him.

''Do you believe that Connor has figured out how to create haunted animatronics the way you did?'' she asked.

''No, I don't think so,'' Springtrap replied. ''It feels more like he just heard the rumors and attempted to create haunted animatronics based on that. To be honest, now even I know what exactly occurs with the soul when it gets into the state between life and death, despite the fact that I had experienced it.''

''I guess that we can agree that this whole story is still a complete mess and that it will take a while before it finally starts to make sense,'' Sam said. Springtrap simply nodded, then looked through the window at the landscape. It was getting darker and darker as the black clouds got closer.

_For all I know, I could be wrong about everything I had assumed. I did base those assumptions on what I had experienced, but that doesn't mean I was right. Rather than being trapped inside this suit, my curse is the fact that I would have to live a life aware of the mistakes I made, some of which I regret, and some which I'm proud of._

He closed his eyes, listening to the thundering in the distance.

_Mistake or not, this is what I've chosen to be._


	18. Not Here All Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, folks! Today's the Five Nights at Freddy's 5th anniversary! Time to celebrate!

**Night 17**

**Not Here All Night**

_''In the past they said that they stuffed you in a suit. You know, the cover up story sounds kinda cute. Just remember now that everything's gonna be fine, because your darkest thoughts are all in your mind. Now before I leave I just remembered we found a toy. A freaking robot with brains, oh what a joy! So I'll pass you recordings of the original voice. See, he'll never leave you be, so just listen, you don't have a choice!''_

_– **Not Here All Night** by DAGames_

**xXxXxXx**

Sam was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. It was late in the night and it was thundering outside, but, despite being tired, she couldn't fall asleep. Her arm itched a little, wrapped up in new bandages. The smaller scratches were almost healed, while the bigger one was still red, albeit also healing. She hoped that it wouldn't leave a scar.

She then got up, realizing that this didn't work and sneaked out of her room, going towards the guest room, or rather, Springtrap's room. He was reading one of the novels he had borrowed from her, looking surprised when he saw her entering the room.

''Sam, are you okay?'' he asked, approaching her.

''Yeah, but I can't sleep,'' Sam said, yawning. Springtrap didn't look convinced, as she looked quite tired, but he decided that he could entertain her a little. Sam sat down next to him, yawning and looking sleepy. Springtrap tilted his head, looking at her.

''So, is there anything you want to talk about?'' he asked.

''Honestly, I don't know,'' she replied, sighing and leaning back. ''All I see is those animatronic parts, although, for you, those are probably like literal body parts.''

Springtrap cracked a smile.

''I know that it is weird for you to see unfinished robots, but I'm used to that,'' he replied. Sam yawned.

''Yeah…'' She closed her eyes. ''Anyways… about that…''

''Sam, you really should go to bed,'' Springtrap told her. ''You're exhausted.''

''Yeah, I am, but I still can't sleep,'' Sam said dryly, opening one eye. She sighed. ''What I wanted to say is that I just can't stop thinking about that room with those animatronic parts. To be honest, whenever I close my eyes, I just see myself trapped inside that room.''

''I see… Do you have any nightmares?'' Springtrap asked her.

''No… Not really…'' she said in a tired tone, her eyes closed. ''I… I don't think so…''

Springtrap kept quiet, noticing her breathing deeply.

''Try to relax a little,'' he said in a calm and gentle tone. Sam nodded slightly, but it didn't seem as if she registered his words. ''You're safe at home, and rest assured, nobody is going to lock you up in that room in the factory. At least not as long as I am here.''

While he was sure that she had fallen asleep due to exhaustion, he still left her like this, even when she leaned against his shoulder. He wasn't really certain how to react to the fact that she was pretty much using him as a pillow, but he decided to let her be. Once he was sure that she wouldn't wake up if he moved her, he gently picked her up and walked over to her room, placing her in her bed and putting the blanket over her. He observed her quietly, his eyes glowing in a faint purple.

_You shouldn't be the one to worry about what's going on._

His attention then turned to the window, as lightning illuminated the sky. Seconds later, it was followed by a thunder. Springtrap figured that a heavy rainstorm was coming, wondering whether Sam had any plans for the next day. While she might already have something in mind, he thought that it wouldn't be a bad thing to take a little pause.

Deciding to address this tomorrow, he walked towards the door, only to glance back at Sam. She looked quite peaceful and he didn't want to disturb her. However, he was a little reluctant about leaving. _What if she has some kind of nightmare? I know that Emma won't be happy about this, but I think I should stay just in case._

He sat down on the floor next to the bed and glanced at Sam. So far, she was fine. He sighed, leaning against the bed frame, looking at the window when he heard the thunder again. Big drops of rain started to hit the window, with the wind blowing. It may have been strange, but there was something calming and refreshing in listening to the rain falling outside.

**xXx**

The next morning, Springtrap was at the kitchen. Emma had already left, with him assuming that she went to work. He remembered that she was quite satisfied when Sam picked her up from work the previous day, and she didn't really question them about what happened. Springtrap still had trouble wrapping his head around Emma not being upset about what they were doing.

Sighing, he focused on not burning Sam's breakfast. He was waiting for Sam to wake up in order to discuss what they would do next as, after waking her up early the previous day, he figured that this time, he should let her sleep. He looked at the black device he held in his hand, examining it closer.

The device had a switch on the underside, as well as a plug-in on one side. Turning it around, he also saw a dial with a plus and minus sign on each side. Curious, he was tempted to flip the switch, despite having no idea what might happen. However, reflecting on his past mistakes, he knew that he shouldn't make impulsive decisions. He clenched his fist, knowing that it would be smarter to wait for Sam to wake up and ask her for her opinion, before he decides to test the device.

After he had set the stack of pancakes on the table, he sat down and waited for Sam to come down. Staring at the food, he couldn't remember the last time he actually ate something. Sure, it wasn't bad to be practically immortal and not having to worry about everyday necessities, but he sometimes did miss the fact that he couldn't eat, drink or sleep. This was just a piece of the price he payed when he decided to accept this fate.

A few minutes passed and he looked up when Sam walked into the kitchen, looking chipper and having seemingly slept well. She looked a little flustered when she saw Springtrap.

''Before you say anything, I didn't fall asleep because your speech was boring or anything like that-'' she said. ''I mean, you're quite the opposite of boring…''

''Sam, you looked like a sleepwalker last night,'' Springtrap replied, sounding a little amused. Sam sat down, eyeing her breakfast with a hungry look on her expression. ''I doubt you even remember what I told you.''

''I think I do…'' Sam tried to remember what he said, but her mind was blank. She sighed, only to flinch when it suddenly thundered. She looked through the window outside, with rain pouring down heavily. ''When Mum said that it would rain, I didn't expect this.''

''So, do you have any plans for today?'' Springtrap asked her.

''No,'' Sam replied. ''I don't really want to go anywhere while it's raining like crazy,… unless there's something you want to do?''

''No, that's why I asked for your opinion,'' Springtrap said, then placed the black device on the table. ''I wanted to test this out.''

''I thought you'd already examine it,'' Sam said, picking it up and looking at it.

''I figured it would be better to wait for you,'' Springtrap replied. ''That is, in case something goes wrong.''

''Do you already have an assumption about what this thing does?'' Sam asked him.

''A few, but unless I activate it, I won't know,'' Springtrap replied as she gave him the device back. ''We found a similar device in Ricky, but I don't understand why only Ricky and Raven have them.''

''You know, when we went over those documents that had the animatronics' blueprints, there were also dates on top of each one. Ricky and Raven seem to be the first that were created, at least as a concept,'' Sam said. ''Although, it still doesn't explain why only they have those devices.''

''I assume that Connor was the one who put them there, but that still doesn't answer why only them. Even the endoskeletons at the factory didn't have these devices,'' Springtrap said.

''Well, Raven is already different from the other animatronics, while Connor seems to heavily associate himself with Ricky, so…'' Sam trailed off, shrugging. ''In any case, we have a Big Bad Wolf lurking in this town, ready to tear down his next victim.''

''Those kinds of people will always exist, Sam,'' Springtrap told her in a dark tone. ''Besides, considering what I did in the past, I'm not better than him. As a matter of fact, I'm even worse.''

''You're right, but still, there is a difference,'' Sam said, with Springtrap giving her a confused look. ''He's a wolf, you're a fluffy bunny.''

Springtrap snorted, having to admit that she was actually right in that sense.

''Smartass,'' he said, as he watched her finishing her meal and cleaning up. He got up, showing her the device as they walked into the living room. ''Anyways, let's try this out.''

He then flipped the switch.

''Aaghrr!''

The moment he did that, static suddenly appeared before his eyes, with a buzzing noise ringing in his ears. The device fell out of his hand as he fell on his knees, clutching his head in pain. He screeched in agony, feeling as if his head was going to explode.

_What is going on?!_

Suddenly, the painful headache subsided, with him looking up. Sam stood in front of him, holding the device.

''Springtrap, are you okay?'' she asked in a worried tone.

''I am now,'' Springtrap replied as he got up, rubbing his temple. He felt a little dizzy. ''At least we know what this thing does.''

''Yeah, it causes you pain,'' Sam said sarcastically, looking at the device. ''Are you sure about this? I mean, I did hear some buzzing sound, but only barely. However, you…''

''I felt as if someone was driving a drill into my skull,'' Springtrap said, extending his hand, with Sam reluctantly giving him the device. He examined it. ''It seems as if this device operates only on a frequency that can be registered by animatronics.''

He messed with the dial, flipping the switch again. This time, he heard the buzzing noise again and saw faint static, but it wasn't as bad as before.

''You can regulate the frequency,'' he said as he slowly turned the dial towards the plus sign, with the static and the buzzing increasing and becoming more and more agonizing to deal with. He then turned it off, feeling nauseous. He sat down on the couch, waiting for the static to fade.

''I don't think you should turn that on again,'' Sam said, looking at the device that Springtrap still held and then glancing back at him. ''What is this device even supposed to be?''

''I am not completely sure. However, it seems to be created to irritate an animatronic's senses, making them unable to function properly,'' Springtrap said.

''Okay, but why would it be inside Ricky and Raven?'' Sam asked.

''I don't know,'' Springtrap said. ''It could be possible that it is used to control the animatronics.''

''You mean, like some kind of controlled shock?'' Sam said, with Springtrap shuddering as he remembered Mike using a taser on him in an attempt to keep him at bay. He nodded.

''Only that this one is more subtle. You said that you barely sensed it,'' Springtrap added.

''So, this black device was created only for animatronics in order to irritate their senses and make them unable to function properly in order to control their behavior. Humans can sense it, albeit only barely. Only Ricky and Raven have those…'' Sam summed everything up. ''Wait, I don't know about Ricky, but it would make sense in Raven's case. I mean, we have established that he was possessed at some point, and the device would be necessary to make sure he won't harm someone.''

''Speaking of which, Sam, could I get a look at the photos you took while we were at the factory?'' Springtrap asked.

''Sure,'' Sam replied, with the two going upstairs. ''I assume you figured something out.''

''No, but there's something I need to see,'' Springtrap replied. ''I feel as if I missed something.''

''You did say that everything at the factory is quite chaotic,'' Sam said as she opened the door and the two entered her room. She then turned her laptop on. ''I'm not surprised that you feel like that.''

She then opened the file with the photos she took last night and turned the laptop so Springtrap could see it. She then went through the photos.

''Wait,'' Springtrap said, when she opened the photo of the room with the animatronic parts. ''Could you zoom it in on that torso?''

''Okay…'' Sam bit her lip, setting the photo. The torso looked rather generic, with brown fur and, now that she looked more closely at it, huge stitches on the top of the torso. Next to it was an arm covered in brown fur, with holes on the joints.

''Could you just focus on the parts that are similar to this one?'' Springtrap asked her, with Sam nodding, examining all the photos in detail. ''Look at this, is that a rib cage?''

''There are two,'' Sam said, circling another one with the mouse. One of the rib cages was yellow, while the other one was grey, with red fur patches on the top of the torso. She then noticed something in the shadows, looking like a messily tied red bowtie.

''Something doesn't make sense here,'' Springtrap said. ''None of the mascots at Ricky's have these kinds of color schemes.''

He and Sam exchanged glances, as it dawned them what exactly those parts might be. Sam shook her head.

''Okay, wait a sec… Let's first state what might as well be pretty much confirmed,'' Sam said. ''We found a guy, the security guard from Ricky's Wonder Shack, murdered and left at Freddy's. We know that he was probably murdered at Ricky's after hours by Ricky's actor, Connor. Why? We have no idea. He might've seen something he wasn't supposed to see.''

''Connor may have worn one of the suits, specifically the Ricky suit, in order to avoid getting blood on himself. After all, there were enough of those costumes, so people probably won't notice when one goes missing and just assume it was taken to get cleaned,'' Springtrap added. ''He may have been the one who also turned the cameras off.''

''In any case, he's a creep who considers the animatronics his friends. He may just be acting, but honestly, it still strikes me as strange,'' Sam said. ''Now, about the animatronics; while Dahlia, Virgil, Quentin and Max seem to be normal, Ricky and Raven have this black device that irritates the senses of an animatronic. It is also possible that the device may have been used to control them.''

''Now, Raven was never supposed to be part of Ricky's Wonder Shack, having been decommissioned due to an accident at the Machinations Factory. Still, he ended up in that hidden room behind the stage,'' Springtrap continued. ''We also know that Raven had been possessed by a spirit of someone who probably died at the factory. However, we don't really know what exactly happened.''

''Still, we do know that there is a connection between Connor, Raven and what occurred at the factory,'' Sam said, with Springtrap nodding, looking a little lost in his thoughts. ''Will?''

''Someone died at that factory. Someone's soul was tied to the Raven, probably causing those accidents that led to the animatronic to become decommissioned. I believe that, once they decided that he wouldn't be part of the group, they put him in the boiler room, probably to melt him down and use the metal for new parts, but they didn't for some reason,'' Springtrap said, glancing at Sam.

''It could be that, if Connor indeed once worked at the factory, he was aware that something was wrong with Raven, and wanted to keep him close, which might also be the reason why he kept him at Ricky's Wonder Shack. Once we found him, he decided to move the Raven back,'' Sam added.

''I assume he knows that Raven was haunted at some point, but that he doesn't know that the soul had abandoned the animatronic, with the AI having merged with whatever remained from the soul,'' Springtrap said, glancing at the photo. ''We also know that he's probably trying to create haunted animatronics, or at least something similar. Not to mention, he uses different kinds of animatronic parts, but there are some that don't look like they belong to the animatronics from Ricky's Wonder Shack, but rather…''

He frowned, glancing at Sam, who looked back at him with a serious expression.

''You made animatronics that looked friendly, but were killer machines,'' she said darkly. ''However, these are just killer machines.''

''Not only that, but going by the animatronic parts we saw, he is trying to make animatronics that are similar to Freddy, Bonnie, Chica and Foxy,'' Springtrap added, with Sam returning to the photo of the room where they found the tanks and the huge sickle-like, or rather, hook-like object.

''Okay, but, why would he do that?'' Sam asked, with both her and Springtrap being confused. ''As far as we know, he hates Freddy's and the mascots. Also, the endoskeletons we found didn't look like they could fit those parts.''

''Honestly, I don't know what this guy is planning,'' Springtrap said, feeling a little frustrated. He felt that the answer was obvious, but there were still some key components he didn't understand. ''It's as if there are two puzzle pieces that just don't fit together, no matter how you place them.''

''I guess it cannot be helped, especially considering that we still don't know everything and that all we have are assumptions and theories,'' Sam said in a comforting tone, with Springtrap giving her a questioning look. ''William, what is currently going on is not your fault. This is the fault of a deranged and delusional person and, while you might think that there are similarities, you are nothing like him.''

''Why do you think that I am worried about that?'' Springtrap asked, trying to sound amused by her question. However, his expression turned serious when he saw Sam's look of concern. ''Am I that easy to read?''

''Sometimes you are, sometimes you aren't,'' Sam replied. ''I'm trying my best to pick up on whenever you feel upset, since you're not really willing to share how you feel.''

''I'm sorry…'' Springtrap muttered, aware that he was better at concealing his own feelings and creating a new persona in order to interact with society, rather than just being honest about how he felt. It was simply easier that way and people never questioned him. However, with Sam, that was hardly possible to hide how he felt.

''It's fine,'' Sam replied. ''Sometimes, it is interesting to see whether I can figure out how you feel or not. It's worth to just see your reaction.''

''I guess there are still other things I need to work,'' Springtrap said. He remembered his conversation with Henry, aware that his old friend didn't really believe that he could change anything about his behavior and attitude. Even the entity mocked him whenever he refused to act like his past self.

However, he was confident that he could prove them wrong.

**xXx**

Connor was at the room with the costumes, having been told by the manager to clean up the Ricky suit as a child had accidentally spilled soda on it and they couldn't let the animatronic walk around with a dirty suit on. Truth to be told, he was a little annoyed that the management denied him any interaction as Ricky until the suit was clean.

He knew that he deserved to be one of the characters, as no one else was fit for this kind of performance, but he didn't have much of a say in it. Of course, he still held the strings here, as he knew that he was the only one capable of dealing with the animatronics. Whenever they malfunctioned, he'd be asked to fix them, but that was it. There was no praise for his work, although, he didn't want any from someone who couldn't appreciate his abilities.

''In the end, it is only you and me,'' he said, holding and looking at Ricky's head. ''I am sorry that I had to move our friend back, but it was necessary.''

He placed the head back on the desk, stroking it gently. His eyes narrowed as he thought about his co-workers, knowing that he was an oddity among them. None of them understood his strange affinity for the robots. It was quite hard to find someone who would be awed by his ideas and achievements, but he did feel that he had found someone like that. Still, it would take a while until he could show them what he had managed to accomplish. He wanted it to be perfect.

_However…_

He couldn't stop thinking about that strange animatronic. He was fairly certain that the robotic bunny belonged to Freddy's, but he was quite sure that he had never seen a mascot like this one. There were times he wondered whether he had hallucinated the animatronic, but he looked too real to just be some kind of delusion. Musing about it, Connor put the mask on.

He needed to be careful while planning his next step.

**xXx**

Sam winced when it suddenly thundered.

''What is wrong with the weather today?'' she muttered. ''This one sounded like a bomb went off above our heads.''

''It will eventually stop,'' Springtrap told her. ''Although, I wouldn't want to be the one who got caught outside in such weather.''

''Me neither,'' Sam said. Apparently, after their conversation about Ricky's, they two had decided that they wouldn't go anywhere, as the weather conditions were terrible. Therefore, they remained at Sam's room, talking about random stuff. Springtrap gave Sam a strange look as she suddenly went quiet, as if remembering something.

''Are you okay?'' he asked, with Sam looking up at him and smiling.

''Sure, although…'' She sighed. ''Okay, maybe I'm not. At one point, after school, I ended up without a ride while it was pouring outside, as Mum was away on a business trip. One of my former friends told me her mum could pick us both up and that I should wait for her. Well, I did wait for her… for three hours.''

''What happened?'' Springtrap looked surprised.

''I called her and she told me that she couldn't find me, so she left. When I finally arrived at home, I looked like I fell into a swimming pool,'' Sam said bitterly. ''Even my backpack and my books were wet. When I called her later, she told me it was my fault for not arriving at the meeting spot at the time we agreed to. Once I told her that I was there, she played dumb, telling me that I was lying and that we were supposed to meet somewhere else.''

''Honestly, I would really love to have a word with your former friends,'' Springtrap said, with Sam noticing the irritated look on his expression. ''I'm quite sure that they would understand how hurtful their pranks were and apologize to you after a quick conversation.''

''I do believe that they would, although I don't want to bother dealing with them,'' Sam replied, knowing well that Springtrap would probably threaten them and force them to apologize to her. She smiled. ''I'm just happy that you're my friend.''

''At least I'm a better friend to you than I was to Henry…'' Springtrap's ears twitched.

''I can't argue with that,'' Sam said, with Springtrap lowering his head. ''Still, you're obviously doing better now, which is a good thing.''

''You aren't doing bad yourself either,'' Springtrap replied. ''Someone would think that, after going through all of that, you'd stop trusting people.''

''Honestly, I do want to trust people. I mean, I know that I should be wary of others, but it's annoying when you're constantly cautious, unsure whether you can even approach a person safely,'' Sam said, looking at Springtrap. ''I'm glad that I can at least trust you.''

''Sam, I…'' Springtrap trailed off when he saw Sam staring at him with a look of uneasiness on her expression. He sighed. ''I know you're annoyed by my self-deprecation, but I'm just being honest here. I don't trust myself, even though you do. Hell, even Emma-''

'' _Even Emma_ what?'' Springtrap froze, turning around only to see Emma smiling smugly as she leaned against the door. He frowned.

''How long have you been listening to us?''

''Long enough to know that you seriously need to work on your confidence,'' Emma told him, then looked at both of them. ''Why are you even here? I thought you'd be out, exploring places.''

''Water and robots don't mix well together,'' Springtrap replied.

''I assume you based that on personal experience,'' Emma said, joining the two. Sam and Springtrap exchanged glances, wondering just how much she knew.

''In any case, we're not going anywhere during this kind of weather,'' Sam said.

''I know,'' Emma replied, with Sam figuring that her mother was trolling them again. ''Don't worry, I just came here to tell you something and then I'll leave you two alone.''

''Just take your time,'' Sam said sarcastically. Emma winked, still smiling. While looking at both of them, and feeling a little lost, Springtrap had to wonder just how did Emma manage to be so calm about the whole situation and accept whatever Sam was doing as something normal, only to realize that Emma was probably considering this as normal. After all, she did state her opinion on this and just let them do whatever they wanted, as long as they followed the conditions she gave them.

''Me and Cassie are going to visit an old friend of Cassie's tomorrow. Sadly, her grandmother died about a week ago and she told us that there were a few things she wanted to get rid off, so she offered us to come to her place and take whatever we find. Apparently, her grandmother was a passionate collector,'' Emma explained.

''Are you sure about this trip?'' Springtrap asked her in an ominous tone. ''Last time you decided to visit someone to buy something, it didn't end up well.''

''At least I spend my time learning from my mistakes rather than just reflecting on them like you do, Afton'' Emma replied, with Springtrap's eyes flaring purple as he glared at her. She grinned slyly. Sam, who was looking at each of them, was on the verge of facepalming, feeling that both could at least try and improve their current situation, rather than try to mess with each other.

''Still, reflecting on your mistakes helps you understand why you made them in the first place and how to prevent them from happening in the future,'' Springtrap replied.

''I guess you're right,'' Emma said after a little pause, shrugging and leaving the room. Springtrap was a little confused about the lack of quips, as well as her calmness, hoping that she would finally leave him alone. To his dismay, she didn't. ''Oh, and before I forget; I heard someone walking through the house last night.'' Both Sam and Springtrap froze, nervously looking at Emma, who put on a confused look. She crossed her arms, putting a finger on her chin, as if she had no idea what was going on. ''Of course, I might've been just dreaming. Right?''

''Um, sure…'' Sam said, laughing in a nervous manner. She and Springtrap felt their anxiety skyrocketing when Emma suddenly gave them a death glare.

''I hope so,'' she said, closing the door. Sam and Springtrap glanced at each other, looking disturbed.

''She's a nightmare,'' Springtrap said in a quiet tone, as if fearing that Emma would overhear them.

''Even though she has a point… I agree with you,'' Sam said.

Both winced when it thundered again.

**xXx**

Connor rose an eyebrow when he saw a figure standing in the rain next to Ricky's Wonder Shack, holding an umbrella and looking frantically at their phone. He recognized the person as Bella, who seemed to be in trouble. He drove next to her on the empty street, lowering the window.

''Do you need a ride?'' he asked.

''Oh, thank God!'' Bella looked relieved. ''I thought you had already left!'' She quickly got into the passenger seat, folding her umbrella. ''My roommate had a family emergency and couldn't pick me up, so I was only left with the option to walk back home.''

''That's unfortunate,'' Connor replied. ''You won't mind if I do a little detour? There's some work I need to get done. I can drive you back home after I have finished.''

''Go ahead, I won't mind,'' Bella replied briskly. ''I'm just glad I don't have to walk back home during this weather.''

Connor nodded, with the rest of the ride being in silence, as Connor wasn't really talkative and Bella was focused on texting someone on her phone. She did lift her head once they stopped in front of a gate that led to a strange building. Lightning illuminated the sign above the gate.

'' _Machinations Factory_ ,'' she muttered, looking at Connor. ''Why are we here?''

''As said, I have something to do. If you want, you could join me,'' Connor replied, taking the umbrella from the back of his car and a pair of keys. He then unlocked the rusty lock and opened the gate, looking at Bella. She was unsure whether to follow him, but she had no idea how long he would be inside that building. She also didn't feel exactly safe being left in this strange area she didn't recognize. Taking a deep breath, she took her umbrella, joining him. Connor smiled as she followed him, while Bella clutched her smartphone tightly, as if it was a safety blanket. He then unlocked the front entrance, with the two leaving their umbrellas there.

''What is this place?'' Bella asked. ''How come you have the keys for it? Are we even allowed to be here?''

''I used to work here and I look after the building,'' Connor replied, walking over to a nearby office and taking a flashlight from the desk. ''Unfortunately, the power is still out due to a broken generator, so we'll have to use this.''

''I have my own,'' Bella said, holding up her smartphone as she turned the flashlight on. She then followed Connor, wondering where he was going. ''So, what is this factory?''

''It used to make animatronics,'' Connor said.

''Ah, I see,'' Bella muttered. ''This is where Ricky and the Misfits were created, right?''

''Exactly,'' Connor said, giving Bella a curious look. ''Say, what do you think about them? About Ricky and his friends? Aren't they fascinating?''

''Well, they are robots capable of interacting with people. Of course they're interesting,'' Bella replied, with Connor looking pleased. ''Although, I'm not really interested in them.''

''Really?'' Connor's eyes narrowed, the joy inside him perishing like an extinguished flame.

''To be honest, they're kind of creepy,'' Bella added, not noticing the change in his eyes.

''I see,'' Connor said half-heartedly. ''I think they're quite special.''

''What is, according to you, so special about them?'' Bella asked him, feeling chills crawling down her spine when she saw Connor grinning.

''I'll show you,'' he replied. Bella shuddered, with a voice inside her head screaming to leave now. After all, she didn't know Connor that well and she had no idea where she was. _I should've called an Uber…_

Still, she followed Connor, hoping that that voice in her head was wrong. He didn't force her to come here and he didn't look like he would object if she just left. Aside from that, Bella was quite sure that she would get herself lost in the factory.

''Don't worry, I  just wanted to introduce you to my friend,'' Connor told Bella, snapping her out of her thoughts.

''Well, that's nice…'' she said nervously, following him to some kind of boiler room. Inside it was a furnace, with a strange-looking animatronic sitting inside it, leaned against the wall. ''I-Is this your friend?''

''Yes, he is,'' Connor replied, crouching next to the Raven. Bella gasped in surprise when the animatronic started to trash suddenly. ''Don't worry, he won't hurt you. He just hasn't figured out how to stand up.''

''Who is he? Why isn't he at Ricky's Wonder Shack?'' Bella asked.

''Unfortunately, he was decommissioned before he could appear on stage,'' Connor said as he stood up. ''I told him I could make him better, that I would correct the injustice that had been done to him. I'm the only one who understands him and he's the only one who understands me.''

''Connor, I want to go home,'' Bella said, trying to keep calm, but she was shaking. ''Please…''

She shivered when she saw the cold look Connor gave her.

''Do you really think that he's not worth it?'' he asked.

''N-No, I mean… I don't know… I just want to go home, please!'' Bella pleaded. ''I am not interested in any of this!''

''So, that's how it is,'' Connor muttered. ''You really hate them, don't you…''

''No, I never said that!''

''You're lying!'' Connor yelled at her, storming out of the room. Bella fell on her knees, hearing the steps echoing through the hallway. She was in shock, not understanding what was wrong with Connor. _Why is he so obsessed with those animatronics?! They're just machines!_

Feeling sick, she got up, entering the hallway and searching for the exit. Even though she hoped that Connor would calm down a little, she didn't want to deal with him anymore. As she walked down the hallway, she noticed that one of the doors was open. She peeked inside, hoping to find some kind of exit, only to gasp upon seeing numerous animatronic parts inside it. What freaked her out the most was the brown bear mask with the black top hat that was placed on the desk next to the door. Its eyes would flicker eerily, as if it was possessed by something.

She stepped back, only to bump into something. Turning around, her eyes widened as she saw Ricky staring back at her with bloodshot eyes. Something silver flashed, and her scream died in her throat as she staggered back, falling on her knees as her fingers feebly reached for the knife in her chest.

''You will learn to appreciate them,'' Connor said proudly, grinning underneath the Ricky mask. ''I have managed to bring my partner back and I will do the same to you. You won't have to suffer anymore in this pathetic body.''

''Y-You…'' Bella stuttered, with blood flowing out of her mouth. She fell down as the world around her turned black. Connor stared at her blankly as she stopped moving, the blood that was flowing out of her chest staining the floor. He crouched next to her, observing her glassy and lifeless eyes.

''It won't hurt,… I promise.''


	19. Lockdown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, today's my birthday (16.8), and because of that, I'm posting a chapter to celebrate it. I hope you'll enjoy it!

**Night 18**

**Lockdown**

_''I had a dream where something came to life, mechanical parts cold trapped inside this unfortunate soul. I took the fall that no one else would take. Corridors are locked, the door is shut – sometimes I'd see your face. I thought them strangers bent to play pretend. Fun's only a game til someone breaks the rules and lets them in. And when the lights go out this is the end. Now we're in this blackout, and when the lights go-''_

_– **Lockdown** by SharaX_

**xXxXxXx**

Springtrap stared at the sky as it cleared. It had stopped raining a few hours ago and it seemed that the next day would be hot and sunny as usual. He guessed that it was one of those summer storms that appear out of nowhere and then stop suddenly, leaving no evidence that it rained the day before.

 _What a crazy weather…_ He shook his head and resumed reading one of the novels he got from Sam, the novel being _Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone._ The only reason he read it was because Sam insisted on it. So far, he was half-way through the book and enjoyed the story, although he kept thinking back to Sam's eager expression when she told him she was a Potterhead and showed him the wand she bought, as well as a small Gryffindor banner. Something told him that she would try to question him about the book and whether he liked it.

He sighed, only for his ears to twitch when he heard steps outside the room, assuming someone was going downstairs. He sneaked into the hallway and to the stairs, noticing the light coming from the kitchen. He guessed that it was Emma, as she told them that she would be leaving, but he didn't expect her to leave so early. While he was a little reluctant, he still went down, mentally preparing himself for the inevitable confrontation with Emma.

He peeked into the kitchen, seeing Emma making coffee and cleaning a thermos bottle. She then looked up, noticing him and rolled her eyes.

''Haven't I told you to not roam through the house while everyone's asleep?'' she asked.

''You're awake,'' Springtrap replied in a deadpan tone. Emma sighed, knowing she couldn't argue with that logic, and turned back to the hot water that was now boiling. Springtrap figured that it was safe for him to join her. While he didn't look forward to talking to her, he still had a few questions that he hoped she would answer.

''I assume you're not here for the coffee, right Afton?'' Emma said, looking at Springtrap with a sly grin. The latter frowned.

''Isn't it obvious?'' he asked, with Emma adding instant coffee and sugar into the boiling water. She glanced back at him as she mixed everything.

''Okay, what are you up to now?'' she asked in a casual tone. Springtrap knew that she was on guard because of his presence, but even then, she seemed to be quite relaxed.

''I just want to know why you're allowing Sam to go on those urban explorations or even continue with our investigation, even though you know it's dangerous,'' Springtrap said as Emma poured the coffee into the thermos bottle. ''I know you gave us several rules to follow, but I'm curious about what happened before I appeared.''

''To be honest, the only difference between the explorations Sam had done before and now is one person – you,'' Emma replied, pouring the rest of the coffee into a cup and leaning against the kitchen counter. ''Otherwise, the rules I have set up for her remained the same. As I said, she can do whatever she wants as long as she stays safe and updates me on whatever she's planning to do.''

''Don't you think that someone would think of you as irresponsible parent for letting her do something potentially dangerous?'' Springtrap asked, with Emma's eyes narrowing.

''You're the one to talk,'' she said, with Springtrap briefly lowering his head, but then he looked back at her, giving her an intense stare. Emma tilted her head slightly, observing him. ''I don't care if people think I'm irresponsible. I know that Sam knows how to handle herself, even though she does get into trouble. All in all, I'm not here to control her or tell her how she should live her life.''

''Is there a personal reason for that?'' Springtrap asked, his eyes glowing in a very faint purple. Emma smirked, aware that he was probably being reminded of what happened a few days ago, with her taking Sam away from him because she wanted to spend time with her.

''I assume you also have a personal reason for being a horrible parent, right Afton?'' she said, with Springtrap looking at her with a mix of guilt and annoyance, his ears twitching. Emma then sat down across him, with Springtrap figuring that she wanted to carry on with the conversation and resigned himself to his fate. ''When it comes to Sam, the only thing I refused to do is to be an overbearing parent. Rather than trying to control her or act overprotective, I wanted teach her that the world isn't black and white, that she cannot always depend on me, even though I will always be there for her if she needs me, and that she should be nice and respectful towards others, while at the same time try to stand up for herself and voice her opinion.''

''You certainly are better at being a parent than I was,'' Springtrap said bitterly. ''The most I achieved was getting my family killed and then got lured into a trap and incinerated by my eldest son.''

''I'd call that a win for your son, even though it didn't last,'' Emma said, with Springtrap frowning as he stared at the table. She took a sip of coffee. ''Although, you're not the only one who had set a low bar.''

''What do you mean?'' Springtrap asked.

''When I learned that I was pregnant, I had no idea what I should do. People would tell me that I would eventually figure it out once Sam was born, but I never did. Hell, I'm surprised that I managed to raise Sam to be a normal child,'' Emma said, with Springtrap giving her a surprised look. She gave him a sour smile. ''My own parents were quite controlling, as they would make decisions without even asking for my opinion. Not only that, but they wanted to keep me sheltered from whatever they perceived as dangerous. They loved the idea of projecting an image of an upstanding family and they wanted me to be their perfect little girl. Instead, they got a rebellious troublemaker.''

''Why am I not surprised,'' Springtrap said sarcastically.

''Don't get me wrong, Afton, I loved my parents, but I couldn't stand the way they behaved. I refused to obey them. One time, the attempted to force me to learn how to play an instrument, even though I didn't feel that I was particularly talented, so I made compromise with them. I would take music lessons, but in return, I would be the one to choose which instrument I would play. I knew that they wanted me to play the piano and participate at competitions, so you can imagine how angry they were when I returned home with an electric guitar and an amplifier,'' Emma said, grinning, with Springtrap looking a little impressed. ''Surprisingly, they kept their promise and I discovered that I was quite good at playing the guitar.''

''To keep it short, because your parents were controlling, you're more lax when it comes to taking care of Sam? I guess that makes sense,'' Springtrap said in a slightly teasing tone, with Emma frowning.

''Afton, do I have to remind you that you were the one who asked me about my personal reason for acting like this? Now you know,'' Emma said in a stern tone. Springtrap frowned, lowering his head, still staring at the table. He kept silent, looking quite upset. Emma wondered what was going through his head, whether he was trying to think of a sarcastic reply or if there was something else on his mind. _Does he regret asking me that?_

''Did your relationship with your parents improve?'' he asked her, with Emma being surprised by his question. She bit her lip.

''My mother did realize that she was suffocating me instead of giving me an opportunity to succeed on my own, and she apologized eventually on her deathbed. My father passed away still believing that he failed as a parent. He didn't say anything when I told him that I forgave him for what he had done,'' Emma explained, with Springtrap staring at her quietly.

''I see… My condolences…'' he muttered. Emma shrugged.

''It's been 8 years since then, and I'm just glad Sam met her grandparents before they passed away,'' she added. ''I don't really think much about them, though. I cannot afford to live in the past.''

''Yet you do, considering your experience had an impact on your decisions,'' Springtrap said. ''So much about me being the only one who reflects on his mistakes.''

''This is not me reflecting on my mistakes, this me giving you advice, Afton,'' Emma told him in a firm tone, with Springtrap giving her a curious look. ''Rest assured, I still don't like you and calling you a bad person would be an understatement.'' She then smiled. ''However, I am impressed by just how determined you are to make your new life work.''

''You can thank Sam for that,'' Springtrap replied. Emma sighed, albeit still smiling.

''She's also determined to make your friendship work, and she's certainly more optimistic about it than I am,'' she said. She noticed the insecure look on Springtrap's expression as he lowered his head, his ears drooping. ''Though, I'll leave that to you and Sam. Unless, is there something I need to worry about?''

''I'd be lying if I said that there wasn't anything to worry about, and honestly, while I don't want Sam to get involved into this mess, I…'' Springtrap looked up at Emma, his eyes flashing purple. ''I am actually glad that she's insisting on staying with me.''

''Hopefully it will stay that way,'' Emma said, with Springtrap looking surprised. ''You know as much as I do that she wouldn't be insisting on that if she hated you. Being the way she is, you would have to do something truly horrible in order to lose the only person who believes that you deserve a second chance.''

''I know that,'' Springtrap replied. ''Every time I see Sam, I keep wondering how it was even possible for me to end up in this situation. I know I shouldn't be here, yet I am. It's incredibly frustrating.''

''I think you're overthinking this, Afton,'' Emma said, noticing the surprised look on his expression. She smiled slyly. ''Do you really think I would've been this relaxed if I had decided to overwhelm myself with questions about how the soul of a murderer became attached to a robot and appeared here?''

''Now that you're mentioning it, you never really questioned me in detail about my state,'' Springtrap said.

''I figured that panicking about something that may not even be a big deal, especially since Sam didn't treat it like that, wouldn't help me in the long run and that I would eventually find out what was going on, which I did,'' Emma explained. The two then suddenly heard a car pulling into the driveway. Emma looked through the window. ''That's Cassie.''

She stood up, picking up the thermos bottle and the bag that was in the hallway.

''So, when are you coming back?'' Springtrap asked her curiously.

''Probably tomorrow,'' Emma replied, noticing that Springtrap fidgeting anxiously on the spot, avoiding eye-contact with her. ''Is there anything you want to tell me?''

''I just wanted to thank you for the conversation,'' Springtrap said. ''It is undeniable that you're handling everything quite well, unlike…'' He trailed off, shaking his head. ''It doesn't matter anymore…''

''I think it does,'' Emma replied, with Springtrap staring at her. ''If you ever meet your own family again, you should tell them how you feel about everything. You might not be forgiven, but you would still get an answer that might help you find peace. It worked in my case.''

She then turned to the door, ignoring the bunny animatronic who was staring at her, completely stunned. She unlocked the door and glanced back at him as she walked out.

''Also, could you please lock the door behind me? It is already enough that we have one creep roaming through the house and I don't want another one to sneak in,'' she said. Springtrap frowned, with Emma giving him a sly smile, before closing the door behind her. Springtrap walked over to it, locking the door.

Despite still being annoyed about her last remark, he took the comment in stride. He knew that, even if he and Emma somehow managed to get along, she would never stop messing with him.

''Still, there is one problem with that statement, as I am not some creep,'' he muttered, even though he knew that Emma couldn't hear him. ''I am a lot more than that.''

**xXx**

''So, do you have any idea when Freddy's might open again?''

Sam glanced at Springtrap, who gave her a curious look.

''Well, the advertisement they put up said that it was _Coming Soon_ and that it would be _This Summer_ ,'' Sam replied. ''I actually can't wait to see what Fazbear Entertainment has planned for this location.''

''You aren't the only one,'' Springtrap said, his eyes briefly flashing purple.

''Why do I have a bad feeling about this?'' Sam asked in a deadpan tone, eyeing Springtrap.

''I may have been long gone, but Freddy's is still something Henry and I have created. I believe that I am allowed to know what happened to it,'' Springtrap told her.

''I am not saying that you aren't allowed to go there, but don't you think that something bad might happen, especially considering that you're the person who is either directly or indirectly responsible for everything that happened at Freddy's,'' Sam explained, with Springtrap giving her a sheepish look. ''In any case, at least it's never boring whenever you are around.''

''Well, being an animatronic, one of my duties is to keep you entertained, isn't it?'' Springtrap replied. ''Speaking of which, any ideas for what we are going to do next?''

''Well, I'm not sure, but I think that we could go back to the factory and try to see what those animatronic parts are, although we do might have a run-in with Connor which, for now, I want to avoid,'' Sam said. ''Or, do you have any other suggestions?''

''I think we should go to the factory, although…'' Springtrap trailed off as he thought about his conversation with Emma. He felt a little strange afterwards, his mind racing as he realized that there was a possibility that he could try to investigate another part of his past. But, the more he thought about it, the more he believed that it was a bad idea. _I shouldn't be living in the past._

''Springtrap?''

''It's nothing,'' Springtrap replied, looking a little crestfallen. ''Forget about it.''

''William, what did you want to tell me?'' Sam asked in a demanding tone. Springtrap's eyes flared purple as a vision of a dark room covered in metallic pieces, screens and animatronic parts flashed in front of him. He frowned and looked at her with a determined expression.

''There is one location I'd like to visit, but I have no idea whether it is still there. After all, most of the other Freddy's locations are gone and even Fredbear's Family Diner doesn't exist anymore,'' Springtrap explained.

''Do you mean Circus Baby's Pizza World?'' Sam asked.

''I personally made sure that it would get closed after Elizabeth's death,'' Springtrap said, with a pained look on his expression. He then looked back at her. ''However, the location I meant is Circus Baby's Entertainment and Rental, as I actually had been there before I went to Henry's incinerator.''

''Is that were you, Scrap Baby and Molten Freddy got the replacement parts?'' Sam asked.

''Yes. It was abandoned at the time, but everything was still there. However, I have no idea whether Henry had torn it down, since he wanted to destroy everything tied to Freddy's,'' Springtrap said, then grinned smugly. ''Not that he succeeded.''

''I don't think that even Henry could've predicted this,'' Sam replied, turning to her laptop. ''In any case, I am also curious whether the location is still there. We should go visit it after we check the factory.''

Springtrap perked up, looking satisfied with the decision. The main reason why he wanted to got there was because he had been wondering whether he would be able to find something useful at Circus Baby's Entertainment and Rental. It wasn't his old workshop, but it was worth a visit.

_However, that isn't the only reason why I'd want to go there…_

His ears twitched when he saw Sam looking at him with a wide grin, and the brief moment of satisfaction he felt vanished and was replaced with anxiety. As he stared at her, he could see that she was itching to talk about her favorite book series. He smiled a little, resigning himself to his fate.

_Well, I did tell her that I'm here to entertain her. I guess that Freddy's can wait._

**xXx**

_Locked?_

Connor looked at the door of the building he attempted to enter. He knew that he shouldn't be surprised that it was locked, as the owner had probably found the key. When he searched for a place to hide the security guard's body and figured that it would be quite a delight to leave it at Freddy's, he found out that the building was unlocked. The key was lying on the floor in the storage room, forgotten by whoever lost it there, and he quickly covered it with boxes, hoping that it wouldn't be found. Of course, he could've taken it, but he was more entertained by the thought of the owner having the key so close to them, yet they couldn't find it.

_Pity. I should've come here sooner. However, it doesn't help that I was busy._

Connor put his hands into his pockets, stepping away from the building. A police car drove past him, drawing his attention briefly, but he didn't think much of it, as he was focused on the building.

_Freddy Fazbear's Pizza… Who would've thought that it would manage to build such a reputation? All it needed was a murder or rather, several of them. I wonder whether they even knew that the rumors were indeed true._

He remembered the bunny he saw, knowing he needed to keep a close eye on Freddy's. He still wondered whether it was a hallucination or a real animatronic, or maybe a spirit trapped inside the animatronic. After all, the Raven suffered a similar fate.

_Not that I intended for that to happen. Even then, being able to walk on a path between life and death… isn't that fascinating?_

He knew that he could achieve that state. He just had to wait a little.

**xXx**

''Springtrap?''

Springtrap looked up at Sam, snapping out of his vacant state. It took him a while to register that she stopped talking eagerly about her favorite book series, with _Hedwig's Theme_ from the _Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone_ movie playing on her laptop. He noticed that she looked worried and shook his head.

''Go on, I'm paying attention,'' he said, trying to salvage the situation. He didn't want to make her feel as if he was not interested in the conversation, even though he felt a little overwhelmed. No matter how much he tried to listen to her, his thoughts kept going back to that strange, empty feeling he had. It was quite frustrating, as he tried to focus on Sam, but kept getting distracted.

''No,'' Sam said in a firm tone, with Springtrap looking surprised.

''You don't have to,'' he muttered, when Sam turned the music off and turned to him. ''Sam, seriously, you don't have to constantly drop whatever topic you wanted to talk about to focus on my problems.''

''Well, as much as I like to talk about my favorite books, _you_ are still my priority,'' Sam replied, with Springtrap looking a little stunned. ''Spring, you're my best friend and we both agreed that, if any of us has a problem, we'll talk about it. Honestly, I don't mind.''

''I… Thank you,'' Springtrap muttered, realizing that he may have underestimated just how much he meant to Sam, as she was willing to drop everything just to help him out.

_''Not that you would do the same for her.''_

Springtrap froze when he heard that voice again. There was no static, nor did he experience any hallucinations, so it was shocking to hear it like this.

''I would,'' he said, his eyes flaring purple. He clenched his fist, shaking in anger. He had enough of that entity constantly mocking and belittling him.

''Springtrap, are you okay?'' Sam asked, with Springtrap looking at her blankly. He was thankful that he was still lucid.

''Remember how I told you about an entity constantly driving me crazy?'' he asked, with Sam nodding. ''I just heard them again.''

Sam frowned, taking a deep breath and crossed her arms.

''Okay… I have something to tell that entity, in case they're still here.''

_''Huh?''_

Springtrap could hear the entity's confused tone, and looked at Sam, nodding. She stepped up, looking around.

''I don't care who you are,'' Sam said. ''However, if you think that by manipulating Springtrap into doing something that would make me hate him would work, you're wrong. So, knock it off!''

Springtrap's ears rose as he listened closely, wondering if the entity would reply. They stood there in silence, eventually exchanging confused glances. Springtrap shrugged.

''I mean, it looks like it worked,'' he said, frowning. ''But, I doubt that it did.''

''Even if they do return, you have my full support,'' Sam said, with Springtrap smiling. ''Anyways, there was something you wanted to talk about, right?''

''Yes, there is…'' Springtrap said, crossing his hands on his back. ''When Emma left last night, we had a talk and something she said stuck with me. She told me that, if I ever meet my own family again, I should tell them how I feel about everything, even if they don't forgive me for what I had done.''

''However, the question remains whether you'd ever see them again,'' Sam said, with Springtrap lowering his head, feeling dejected. He knew that it was probably impossible for him to meet Michael, Sammy or Elizabeth ever again. _My soul was brought back to be tortured, not to be redeemed._

 _''You're not wrong.''_ He suddenly heard the entity again, but didn't react. He noticed Sam's sympathetic gaze which, while he still felt disheartened, cheered him up a little. However, he knew that he didn't deserve any sympathy.

''It doesn't matter,'' he said. ''They're better off without me… and so are you.''

''William…''

''Sam, you told me I should be honest with you. I am,'' Springtrap said in a firm tone. His eyes then flared purple. ''Still, that doesn't mean that I'm going to leave you.''

 _''Wait, what are you talking about?''_ The entity seemed to be startled, just as Sam was. Both expected that Springtrap would insist on staying away from Sam.

''You know, as much as I care about you, I'm also selfish enough to ignore any common sense and just leave when it becomes clear that I am a danger to you,'' Springtrap added, tilting his head. Sam smiled.

''Honestly, I wouldn't have expected anything else from you,'' she said.

_''You two are weird.''_

Springtrap's ears twitched as he heard the entity speak in a dismissive tone.

''Nobody is forcing you to be here,'' he replied.

_''Maybe, but I enjoy tormenting you!''_

''Rest assured, I won't let you continue manipulating me,'' Springtrap replied, then turned to Sam. ''In any case, we should focus on our current plan. We're going to the factory and hopefully, we might find something of interest there. After that, we should try and find Circus Baby's Entertainment and Rental.''

''Agreed,'' Sam said, crossing her arms. ''However, don't think that we're done with this conversation, William.''

''I already had a feeling that you would say that,'' Springtrap replied sheepishly. He looked crestfallen. ''It is not something I can avoid, is it? Although, I am not really looking forward to it.''

''You shouldn't force yourself to confront issues you know you currently cannot deal with,'' Sam said. ''However, you shouldn't forget that you'd eventually have to confront them.''

''I know,'' Springtrap replied, feeling anxious as he glanced at Sam. ''Don't think I have already forgotten what had happened when I refused to deal with my issues.''

''Don't worry about that,'' Sam said in a comforting tone. ''You should just try to learn from your mistakes and move on. However…''

She lowered her, with Springtrap looking concerned and stepping closer to her.

''Sam, are you okay?'' he asked worriedly. Suddenly, Sam rose her head, a wide smile on her expression, and booped his nose. Springtrap was stunned, but quickly snapped out of it, glaring at her. ''Seriously?''

''Yeah,'' Sam said, chuckling.

Springtrap snorted, knowing that she just wanted him to relax a little. He did feel at ease, but he was still concerned about their upcoming task.

 _There's still a lot of things I don't understand. I did expect that this new life, this new chance, would be difficult to handle, but there's no way I could've predicted this outcome._ He looked at Sam, who was quite enjoying herself. _Not that I'm complaining._

**xXx**

It was late evening as Springtrap and Sam prowled through the abandoned factory. While Sam did say in their earlier conversation that she didn't want to deal with Connor in case he was indeed here, Springtrap actually contemplated the idea of confronting him. He wanted to know what Connor was up to, although he also was aware that a direct confrontation with a deranged murderer might put Sam in danger, which is what he wanted to avoid.

''You know, it kinda feels as if we're in a lockdown,'' Sam said, with Springtrap giving her a questioning look. ''The place is abandoned, but it isn't completely empty, as there are animatronics that are active. It is also locked and, in a way, we're cut off from the rest of the world.''

''I assume that you can link the experience to that of a night guard having to stay at Freddy's during the night,'' Springtrap said. ''Only that we're not confined to one room, but to an entire building.''

''It doesn't make it less creepy,'' Sam replied, pointing her flashlight towards the room with the conveyor belt. ''I mean...''

She trailed off as they entered the room, standing there in shock. Her eyes widened in horror as she stared at the figure on the conveyor belt. Springtrap also stopped, being stunned for a moment, before he pointed his flashlight at the figure and quickly walked over to it, with Sam following him.

The figure was an endoskeleton, which looked like somebody dumped an entire can of red paint over it. Next to it were metallic parts, also painted red. The endoskeleton wasn't moving, although its eyes were glowing in a faint, dull silver light. What disturbed both of them were the chunks of rotting meat wedged between the wires and metal. Upon closer inspection, they noticed a human heart having been placed in the endoskeleton's chest. The fact that everything, aside from the endoskeleton, was clean and sterile didn't help making them feel less unnerved.

''Sam…'' Springtrap looked at the teen, who was staring blankly at the endoskeleton. She was pale, looking horrified by the sight, but kept calm.

''It looks like he killed someone recently…'' she whispered. She glanced at her companion. ''Will…''

''It is not possessed,'' Springtrap said, stepping closer to the endoskeleton and examining it. Apparently, Connor cut off pieces of flesh and stuck it into the endoskeleton, with the way it looked reminding him somewhat of the results of a spring lock failure, but with most of the body missing. As he told Sam, the endoskeleton wasn't haunted and he didn't feel strange while standing close to it. Whatever Connor tried to do, he had clearly failed.

''All that is left for us is to find out who this is,'' Sam said, stepping closer to Springtrap. He glanced at her, understanding that, even though she didn't look that upset, she was disturbed by the sickening sight in front of them. He put his hand on her shoulder in a comforting manner, with Sam looking at him and nodding.

''I guess we'll have to check for any missing person alerts,'' she muttered. ''I wonder where the rest of the body is.''

''He might've gotten rid off it,'' Springtrap said, frowning. ''Sam, you have brought that black device, right?''

''Yeah,'' Sam said, taking the small black device they had found inside Raven. She gave it to Springtrap. ''Please, be careful.''

''Don't worry,'' Springtrap replied as he took the device and put it on the lowest frequency.

He turned it on, slowly turning it up. He was half-way through, already seeing static, when the endoskeleton suddenly started to twitch and attempt to move its limbs, trashing around. The loud noises were echoing through the empty building and he quickly turned the device off, causing the endoskeleton to stop. He and Sam stared at it, as if expecting that something would change. However, the endoskeleton remained the same as before.

''The frequency was still too low to cause me any pain, but this endoskeleton seemed to be quite in agony,'' Springtrap muttered, frowning. _Why did this happen? What is the difference between this endoskeleton and me, between the endoskeleton and Spring Bonnie? Is it because it is unfinished?_

''Springtrap!'' Sam hissed, tugging his arm. Springtrap snapped out of his thoughts, hearing steps echoing through the building. Cursing, he realized that not only was someone inside the building, but that his little experiment drew their attention. He quickly followed Sam towards the other entrance, entering the hallway and closing the door, with both of them turning their flashlights off.

However, instead of leaving, they stood still, with Springtrap cracking the door open and peeking into the room. He saw a man walking towards the conveyor belt and, while it was quite dark, he was certain that it was the same man he and Sam saw at the parking lot. Sam shuddered, feeling chills going down her spine as she heard the familiar voice of Ricky Wolfrun.

''Are you awake?'' Connor asked the endoskeleton, who was lying unresponsive. ''Don't be shy, I have already heard you.''

Sam and Springtrap exchanged glances, a little relieved that he was still clueless about their presence. However, both were worried about what he would do if the endoskeleton didn't respond. Meanwhile, Connor walked around, caressing the blood-covered endoskeleton.

''It's okay… I told you that you wouldn't feel any pain,'' he said in a calm, comforting tone. ''I told you you wouldn't suffer.''

 _Liar._ Springtrap frowned, his eyes glowing in a faint purple.

''Please, get up… GET UP!'' Both Sam and Springtrap winced when Connor suddenly yelled at the endoskeleton. ''Damn you! What the hell is wrong with you?! I did everything right! Get up!''

''He won't admit that he failed…'' Sam whispered, with Springtrap nodding. They heard a clanking sound, aware that Connor probably threw the bloody endoskeleton pieces on the floor in frustration. There was an eerie silence, only for them to hear a chilling laughter.

''I guess that you're still unable to appreciate them, even though you're now one of them,'' Connor said in a mocking tone. ''Even my partner accepted his new life, despite the difficulties he faced.''

Sam and Springtrap then heard him walk away, with both glancing at each other. Springtrap noticed that Sam was distraught and tired.

''Should we leave?'' Springtrap whispered.

Sam looked insecure about it, with Springtrap understanding why she was so reluctant. He was aware that she wanted to stay here a little longer in order to see what Connor was up to. However, that way, they would risk being found and they couldn't let that happen.

''I…''

Before Sam could finish her sentence, she and Springtrap heard an agonizing screech echoing through the building.


	20. Is It Something Out There?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ThatOneInkyBoi: Thanks for the review!
> 
> I'll be posting one chapter per week, every Thursday or Friday.

**Night 19**

**Is It Something Out There?**

_''We have no excuses for the pain and death of us. Look me in the eyes and hear my quiet cries, we won't ever see the skies. Is it something out there? This is the last moment that we both share. You can run but you can't hide, get ready for a ride!''_

_– **Is It Something Out There?** by Flannyr & Greeneyed Meganekko_

**xXxXxXx**

Springtrap closed the door to the abandoned office, while Sam was leaning against the wall, hugging herself. They managed to get away from the deranged Connor, hiding in the office, while he was probably working on the animatronics. Springtrap turned to Sam.

''Are you okay?'' he asked in a worried tone. Sam nodded, shivering. ''Now, I suggest that we should leave while Connor is occupied. However, if you feel that we should stay for a while longer, I'm fine with it. I won't let you get hurt by him.''

''Thanks, Will,'' Sam replied, feeling safer in his presence. She looked at the room, noticing the monitors. ''A security guard's room?''

''Pity there's no power,'' Springtrap said as he turned the flashlight on. He was alert as he feared that Connor would eventually come into the room. ''We could've spied on that delusional creep.''

''Speaking of creep, Connor was talking about a partner. I guess he meant Raven,'' Sam said.

''Going by the screech we heard, I assume that was the animatronic in question,'' Springtrap said dryly. ''Seems like Connor's partner either ended up dying in an accident or got killed by Connor himself.''

He kept silent after they heard a loud clanking sound, as if something heavy fell down. Sam flinched, looking at the door. Her eyes narrowed as she contemplated what they should do.

''It cannot be helped,'' she said. ''We should leave, but I'm not done with this factory yet, and neither with Ricky's. Let's go!''

They quietly exited the office, with Springtrap briefly looking back at the hallway where they came from. He knew that things would be bad, but this was getting out of hand. He knew that Sam was disturbed by what Connor had done to whoever he mutilated, but they couldn't do anything for them. He knew that Connor was probably aware that someone knew about what he was doing and he feared that he would go after Sam.

_After all, he showed a lot of interest in her._

**xXx**

Once they had arrived home, Springtrap locked the door, while Sam quickly darted into her room. As he got there, she was already on her laptop, looking at a news article. She looked up as he entered the room and showed him what she found.

''Seems like they put it up today,'' she said. Springtrap looked at the article, realizing it was a missing person alert for a girl named Bella Curtis.

''So, according to her co-workers, the last time she had been seen was yesterday evening, after her she finished her shift at Ricky's Wonder Shack,'' he muttered, reading the article. ''Her roommate, who was away at the day of her disappearance, alerted the authorities this morning when she couldn't reach Bella. They called her family, friends and co-workers, but so far, there are no leads. While they suspect that she might've left on her own, they're not excluding abduction.

'' _'We are doing our best to find her. Hopefully, we'll manage to return her home safely, says chief Burke.'_ They're never going to find her,'' Sam said, looking at Bella's photo. She felt sorry for her. ''I saw her at Ricky's the other day. She was the one who distracted Connor.'' She glanced at Springtrap, who seemed to recognize her as well. ''Spring?''

''I saw her before, also at Ricky's,'' Springtrap said, looking at Sam. ''There were two kids, twins, who were lost and I directed them to this girl so she could help them.''

''I see,'' Sam said. ''Hopefully they got the help they needed.''

''Actually, they did, as I met them again the last time we went to Ricky's,'' Springtrap said, tilting his head. ''They seem to like me more than the actual mascots at Ricky's.''

''Probably because you helped them,'' Sam said. ''Although, I don't know whether it's unnerving to know that you actually had an interaction with little children.''

''It's not like I hurt them,'' Springtrap said, getting a little defensive. He then sighed. ''I know what you mean and I can't blame you for asking that. After all, given my past, nobody would want to trust me being around other people, let alone being around children.''

''I trust you,'' Sam said. Springtrap perked up when he saw her smiling. ''Seriously, would I even insist on you being here if I didn't?''

''I know,'' Springtrap replied, turning his attention to the article. He frowned. ''I don't think this was intentional.''

''What do you mean?'' Sam asked.

''Bella Curtis' death. I don't think Connor took her to the factory to murder her, as it doesn't really make sense if you consider his previous actions'' Springtrap explained, with Sam looking at him attentively. ''We have assumed that Connor is trying to create haunted animatronics, probably some time after the death of his partner, who, at least for a while, had possessed the Raven. However, none of what we had found out indicates that that's his sole focus.''

''Now that you're talking about it, he just killed the security guard, but unlike Bella, he didn't do anything with him, except for leaving him at Freddy's. If he really was interested in creating another haunted animatronic, he probably would've taken him to the factory,'' Sam said. ''Or there would've been reports about people going missing at Ricky's.''

''Exactly,'' Springtrap said. ''You saw how Connor reacted when he approached the endoskeleton. He assumed that it was possessed by his victim and even told her that she didn't appreciate the robots, even though she was one of them.''

''Yeah. He seemes to be quite obsessed over those animatronics, calling them his friends,'' Sam said, shuddering.

''I believe that that the animatronics are his trigger,'' Springtrap said. ''He may not even have intended to kill Bella, even if he brought her to the factory. Instead, he murdered her because she disliked the animatronics, something he perceived as an insult.''

''I wonder what he'll do to people he believes that do appreciate the animatronics,'' Sam said.

''I think that depends on which animatronics we're talking about. You said that he didn't like the fact that you were more interested into the Freddy's animatronics than those from Ricky's,'' Springtrap pointed out. ''Although, this still doesn't explain why he made killer animatronics based on Freddy, Bonnie, Chica and Foxy.''

''Maybe he wants to repeat what happened at Freddy's, but this time, with the animatronics being the killers,'' Sam suggested.

''I hate to admit it, but you're probably right,'' Springtrap said. _Although, even if we are correct about this, there's still something that doesn't make sense._

**xXx**

''Hi, Mum! What's that?'' Sam asked as her mother entered the house holding a box. Instead of answering, Emma quickly turned to Springtrap, who seemed to be a little startled.

''Could you please go and get my bag? It's on the porch,'' she said briskly, then turned to Sam, completely ignoring the bunny animatronic. Sam looked past her at the confused Springtrap, who shrugged and went to get Emma's bag. She then turned to Emma, who opened the box. ''Here.''

''Dolls?'' Sam rose an eyebrow as she took out an antique doll, which had Victorian era-styled clothes.

''Apparently, the grandmother was an avid doll collector,'' Emma explained. ''She gave me a few, saying that she had no need for them and she just wanted to get rid off them.''

''I see,'' Sam muttered, taking the dolls out of the box, with there being seven of them. She kind of felt like a little girl as she tried to set them up and examined their dresses. They actually looked pretty, despite the glassy stare.

''They're creepy.'' Sam turned to Springtrap, who put down Emma's bag and looked at the dolls.

''You're the one to talk,'' Sam replied, with Springtrap grinning mischievously.

''To be honest, the woman who gave me these said that she also thought they were creepy,'' Emma told the two.

''Well, anyone who has seen _Annabelle_ or _Child's Play_ or has played with a Furby knows that dolls are evil,'' Sam said sarcastically. Emma chuckled, then picked up her bag, rummaging through it.

''If you don't think of them as creepy, you could at least clean them up,'' she said, taking out a package out of the bag. She then grabbed the car keys ''I forgot to give this to Cassie. I'll be back soon.''

''Okay, bye,'' Sam said as Emma left, focusing on the dolls. Springtrap meanwhile looked through the window, watching the car pull out of the driveway and reveal a figure standing in the yard. Stunned, he stared at the figure, realizing that it was a little girl in a white dress, glaring at him.

''Spring?'' He turned to Sam, who gave him a confused look. ''What's wrong?''

''There's a little girl outside,'' he said, pointing at the window. Sam looked through it, but she couldn't see anyone.

''Springtrap, nobody's outside,'' she told him.

''I know what I saw. She was there,'' Springtrap replied in a defensive tone, with Sam still giving him a confused look. He feared that she thought that he was messing with her. ''I know it sounds strange, but…''

''Don't worry, I do believe you,'' Sam said, much to his surprise and relief. ''Let's go and check the yard. Maybe she's still there, only hiding.''

Springtrap followed her outside through the kitchen door, but as they scouted the back and the front of the yard, they couldn't find anyone.

''Do you think that she ran into the woods?'' he asked Sam as they went back to the kitchen.

''If she did, she wouldn't have a hard time finding her way out. There is a trail nearby that leads out. I have played in the woods when I was younger and, while they look like you could get yourself lost in them, it is just on this side. Hell, I bet that the red ribbons I left as markers on the branches are still there,'' Sam explained. ''Although, I do have to wonder what a little girl is doing outside. As much as I know, there are no families with little kids in this area.''

''To be honest, she didn't look exactly like she was lost. She seemed to be rather annoyed,'' Springtrap replied. Sam shrugged.

''Well, she isn't here, so I guess there's nothing we can do,'' she said as she went over to the sink, taking a rug and soaking it. She then went over to the dolls and picked one, cleaning it. Springtrap still felt tense, looking outside through the window, but he couldn't see anyone.

_What is going on?_

Lost in his thoughts, he observed Sam as she picked each of the dolls and cleaned them up. She was quite focused on her job, making sure to not miss a speck of dust or dirt.

''You know, even though I did joke about it, I have to agree that those dolls look kind of creepy,'' Sam said. ''I mean, I wouldn't want to wake up in my room in the middle of the night with one of those staring at me.''

''Oh, and waking up with an animatronic in your room is fine?'' Springtrap asked her sarcastically.

''Yeah,'' Sam said bluntly, with Springtrap looking a little stunned by her response. Suddenly, they heard a loud _bang_ , which startled them. It sounded as if something fell over. They exchanged glances. ''What was that?''

''It seemed to have come from upstairs,'' Springtrap said, with both of them getting up. They went upstairs and when they entered Sam's room, they found one of her books on the floor. Sam picked it up.

''It seems like this is what we heard,'' she said, looking back at the shelf from which it fell down. Springtrap frowned, with Sam being aware that he was a little suspicious of what happened. He then glanced through the window, with a look of surprise on his expression. The girl was standing in the yard, right in front of the window.

''There she is!'' he said, with Sam rushing over, only to see that no one was outside. Springtrap looked at her, noticing her confused expression. She shook her head, with Springtrap not understanding how she couldn't see the little girl. When he looked through the window again, the girl was gone. ''I swear, she was there just a moment ago.''

''Springtrap, I do believe you that you have seen someone, but this doesn't make sense,'' Sam replied. Springtrap's ears drooped, as he couldn't explain why Sam couldn't see the little girl. Suddenly, they heard a scraping sound. Perplexed, they walked into the hallway, realizing that it was coming from downstairs.

''Don't tell me someone got inside the house,'' Sam muttered as she quickly got downstairs. They entered the kitchen, where the sound was the loudest. Springtrap stopped as he saw the little girl again, this time standing in the kitchen and giving him and Sam a death glare.

''Who are you?'' he asked, briefly glancing at Sam to confirm that she saw the girl as well. However, Sam still looked confused, unable to see the girl despite standing right in front of her.

''I don't like this place.'' Springtrap's attention turned to the girl, who was still glaring at them. ''I don't like either of you.''

''Wha-''

Before he could even finish his sentence, the little girl suddenly shrieked. All the cabinets and drawers flew open, with the dishes being thrown out. Springtrap had a split second to grab Sam and shield her from being covered in shards from the broken plates or sliced by the knives. Once it was over, they looked up, with the kitchen being now a complete mess and the girl nowhere in sight.

''What the hell?'' Sam muttered, careful not to step on any of the shards. ''What was that?''

''Haven't you seen her?'' Springtrap asked Sam, who shook her head. Her eyes then narrowed, with Springtrap guessing that she had figured things out.

''Of course,…'' she muttered, turning to Springtrap. ''You're dead!''

Springtrap frowned.

''I'm glad that you noticed,'' he said sarcastically. Sam shook her head.

''No, what I meant is that, you're a spirit and you even said that you are able to see other spirits because of that. Which means that the little girl is also a spirit,'' she explained.

''Okay, but if she's a spirit, where did she come from? It's not like there's another animatronic here…'' Springtrap said.

''It doesn't have to be an animatronic,'' Sam said. ''When did you see her first?''

''I saw her just after Emma left,'' Springtrap said, with the two realizing something. ''It's those dolls. One of them is possessed.''

Sam, avoiding the shards on the floor, walked over to the table where she left the box. She took out each doll, placing them on the table.

''One is missing,'' she said frantically, counting the dolls again. There were only six of them. ''I left it here on the table and now it's gone.''

''It couldn't have just gotten up and left…'' Springtrap trailed off, realizing that this was actually possible. He and Sam exchanged exasperated glances, with none of them being happy that they had now a spirit on the loose and the thing the spirit was attached to was gone.

''I'll go check upstairs,'' Sam said, with Springtrap nodding. He looked at the mess in the kitchen, figuring he could at least clean up a little while searching for the doll.

Sam had meanwhile checked her and her mother's rooms, then went over to Springtrap's room. To her surprise she found the doll on the couch. The doll had a frilly white and pink dress and a matching hat covering her curly hair. She also had white stockings and black shoes, white, porcelain skin, dark eyes and pink cheeks.

''I have no idea how you got here, but the hide and seek game is now over,'' Sam told the doll, wondering whether the spirit of the little girl could hear her. She walked into the hallway. ''Springtrap, I found it!''

''Great!''

Springtrap walked over to the stairs, noticing Sam waving with the doll that was in her hand. Stunned, he saw the little girl suddenly appearing, with her grinning maliciously. Then, she pushed Sam down the stairs.

''Sam!''

Springtrap attempted to get up the stairs, while Sam managed to somehow grab the guardrail, only to slip and fall over. Springtrap managed to catch her, getting knocked over, with both landing at the bottom of the stairs.

''Owww…''

''Sam, are you okay?'' Springtrap asked Sam, who was lying on his chest. She looked up, dazed.

''Nothing's broken,'' she said. ''At least I think so. However, my back hurts.''

Feeling sore, she lifted up the backside of her T-shirt. There were red scratch marks exactly on the spot where the girl touched her. She sighed, pulling the T-shirt down and glancing at Springtrap.

''Too bad she's already dead, because I would've killed her for this,'' she said in a deadpan tone.

''I guess it could've been worse,'' Springtrap replied dryly, with both of them turning their heads to the hallway, with Emma walking inside.

She stopped, staring at them, with Sam realizing that she was still lying on Springtrap, who had cushioned her fall, while holding the doll. Stunned, Emma then glanced at the kitchen, which was still a mess, despite Springtrap's efforts to clean it up. She then looked at both of them, putting her hands on her hips, now really angry.

''What the hell happened?!''

''We can explain it,'' Springtrap said, as he and Sam got up, with Emma crossing her arms. ''To keep it simple, you brought back a haunted doll.''

''What?'' Emma was surprised.

''So much about you telling me me not bringing something haunted back to home,'' Sam said sarcastically.

''I was talking about another animatronic, not a doll,'' Emma replied. ''Although, I can imagine that a certain someone would get jealous if you found another haunted friend.''

Springtrap glared at her, his eyes flaring purple.

''I can hear you, you know,'' he said. Emma raised an eyebrow, her expression saying _Oh, really?_. Springtrap kept quiet.

''Jokes aside, if this doll is haunted, then I'll have to do something about it,'' Emma said.

''You?'' Sam gave her a questioning look.

''Well, I brought it here, I'm responsible for it. Just like you are responsible for keeping Afton under control,'' Emma explained.

''Emma, don't talk as if I'm not here,'' Springtrap protested, but Emma ignored him, as usual. Instead, she extended her hand to Sam, expecting her to give the doll.

''Do you even have an idea what you're going to do with it?'' Sam asked, reluctant about giving her mother the haunted doll. Emma shrugged.

''Not really, but as I said, I'm responsible for this one,'' she replied. Sam looked at the doll, then pouted.

''Wait a bit,'' she said, shoving the doll into Springtrap's hands, who looked startled.

He and Emma exchanged confused glances as Sam went to the kitchen, avoiding the shards on the floor, only to return back with a silver platter, red string and salt. She then grabbed the doll, tied it up with the red string, put the silver platter on the coffee table in the living room and surrounded the doll with salt. She then gave the two a satisfied look.

''This should prevent it from escaping again,'' she said, then shrugged when her mother and Springtrap were still staring at her with perplexed looks on their expressions. ''It's just a precaution. I don't know whether it works.''

''Now I'm curious why you didn't use that on me,'' Springtrap said sarcastically.

''You're a different case,'' Sam replied. ''You didn't make things fly off the kitchen counter.''

''You have a point there,'' Springtrap said, sounding slightly amused. However, there was a question on his mind, which Sam picked up on.

''Yeah, I know. We have no idea how she's even capable of doing this,'' Sam said.

''Wait, could you please explain me what this spirit is and what exactly happened?'' Emma asked. ''I mean, I saw the messy kitchen and you two lying on the floor, but…''

''There is a spirit of a little girl attached to this doll, and only Springtrap can see her,'' Sam explained. ''She was the one who threw all the dishes on the floor and pushed me down the stairs. Luckily, Springtrap managed to catch me.''

''More like you knocked him over. You're lucky you didn't end up with broken bones,'' Emma said, sounding irritated and glaring at the doll. ''Why did she even do that?''

''No idea. She just said that she doesn't like either of us,'' Springtrap replied. ''Now, about the haunted doll, she did manage to somehow move it. I know that this is possible, but she's managing to move around without relying on it.''

''I think that the difference between you and her is the fact that you're possessing the animatronic suit, which is the only thing you can control. You use the suit to interact with your surroundings like a normal body. She seems to be only attached to the doll, but otherwise capable of causing chaos without the need to use the doll to interact with things. Where the doll goes, she follows, even though she seems to be capable of moving it around,'' Sam explained. ''In any case, we need to get rid off her.''

''Then, incinerate the doll.''

''We should incinerate the doll.''

''No!''

Springtrap and Emma said in unison, exchanging surprised looks, only for Sam to protest. She sighed.

''Instead of burning it to ashes, how about finding out who this girl is and what she wants?'' she suggested. ''Will, you should talk to her once she appears, since you're the only one who can see and hear her.''

''Okay,'' Springtrap said, although he was a little reluctant, as he had zero positive experience with the spirits of children. He looked around, but the girl was nowhere to be found. He shook his head, with Sam removing the doll from the salt circle and removing the red string from it. They waited a little, with the girl then appearing in the hallway. Springtrap glanced at Sam and Emma, who were still unable to see her, then turned to the little girl. ''Who are you?''

''I don't want to be here! I want my sister!'' the girl whined, still glaring at them.

''If you want to see your sister, you will have to tell me who you are,'' Springtrap told her.

''I want my sister! I want my sister!'' the girl yelled, stomping on the ground. ''I don't want to be here! You're all mean!''

''This is getting us nowhere,'' Springtrap muttered. ''Could you at least tell me your sister's name? Do you know it?''

The girl looked insulted, glaring at him with pure hatred in her eyes.

''Of course I know!'' she said proudly. ''Her name is Mary and I want he here! I want to play with her! NOW!''

Springtrap ignored her tantrum, turning back to Sam and Emma.

''She won't tell me her name, but she says that she's searching for her sister and that the sister's name is Mary,'' he explained.

''Mary?'' Emma repeated. ''The woman who gave me those dolls told me that that was the name of her deceased grandmother.''

''Maybe the grandmother had a sister who died when she was still a kid. It is possible that her soul stayed attached to one of the dolls,'' Sam said. ''Mum, could you give the woman a call and ask her about Mary, and perhaps find out where her grave is?''

''What are you planning to do?'' Emma asked her, a little suspicious.

''Isn't it obvious? I want to reunite two sisters by leaving the doll at the grave,'' Sam explained.

''No, you won't,'' Emma replied, leaving Sam stunned. ''I'll leave it there.''

''Mum, no offense, but I'm not so sure about this-'' Sam got cut off when the small vase that was on the coffee table suddenly flew on the floor, shattering. Springtrap looked at the girl, who looked happy about having broken it. Sam stared at the vase for a second, then turned to Emma. ''She's getting more violent and I have a bad feeling about letting you go alone.''

''Well, I'm not letting you leave on your own either,'' Emma replied.

''I don't think either you of you should go,'' Springtrap interrupted the two. ''In case you have forgotten, you cannot even see nor sense her presence. Also, the kid is unpredictable.''

He looked at the girl, who was pouting, only to give them a malicious grin. She then started to cry.

''I want my sister! I want to play with Mary! I want Mary!'' she screamed. Springtrap was slowly getting irritated, especially since he was the one one who could hear her annoying wailing. He understood that she was just a child, but given her behavior, she was all but scared of them. He felt more pity for the children he murdered than for this brat. It didn't help that he was still furious at her for attempting to break Sam's neck by pushing her down the stairs.

''Okay, we will all go together,'' Emma finally said. ''It'll be a few hours until we reach that town, though. Also, I'm not sure how people might react to man in a bunny costume inside a car.''

''I don't think they will care much,'' Springtrap replied. He glanced back at the little girl, who had stopped shouting and stared at him with a wide grin, which made him anxious.

_Please, let this be a peaceful ride. Hell, I'd take that entity over this girl._

**xXx**

Springtrap sighed. So far, he had been sitting in the back of the car, with Sam in the front and Emma driving. Sam was holding the box with the doll, which she also covered in salt, just as another precaution. The little girl didn't appear, with Springtrap guessing that it was less because of the salt and more because of the fact that she finally got what she wanted. At least he didn't have to deal with her.

Before they left, Emma had called Cassie to get her friend's number and asked the woman about her grandmother. She confirmed that her grandmother had a little sister who died from pneumonia when she was young and that her grandmother used to bring her her favorite doll while she was sick and after her sister died, she continued collecting dolls. It was quite a sad story, but that didn't lessen the fact that, in Springtrap's opinion, the kid was still a brat.

In the end, Emma managed to get the information about Mary's whereabouts, even though the woman was a little weirded out by the question. Emma explained to her that her grandmother probably would want one of the dolls, so she was fine with that. However, she did admit that strange things would happen at her home and, after she gave Emma the doll, everything stopped. Sam guessed that this was the reason why she agreed to help them.

It was also quiet in the car, with everyone being occupied by their own thoughts. Springtrap was looking through the window at the landscape. To be honest, he felt a little weird about trying to find the spirit's sister in order to put her to rest. While it was obvious that Sam wanted to help the girl, while Emma wanted to take responsibility for bringing the doll to her home, there was no reason for him to be here. He had no connection to this girl, aside from being a spirit like her. Sure, he did tell the two that he'd come along to keep an eye on the girl, as they couldn't, but that's where he drew the line. He didn't want to have anything to do with this child.

_As if I didn't have enough issues with dead children. However, they're gone. It would just be stupid to feel apprehensive in a situation like this, a situation which has nothing to do with me or my past._

Still, he felt anxious. Images of children's bodies lying in pools of blood, images of animatronics coming to life and hunting him down, images of his own children suffering… It all was burned into his mind. They lost their voices, but their actions showed that they either didn't care or weren't aware that they became murderers as well. Nothing would stop them from getting revenge on the man who did this to them. Someone would think that they achieved what they wanted when William found himself dying at the hands of his own creation, but they were wrong. It would've been a fitting punishment and almost poetic irony to have their murderer die in the costume he used to kill them, if it weren't for the fact that this was what William wanted all along. He could still remember their rage when they saw him get up and laugh at them. At least they got to enjoy watching him getting sliced by the springlock suit.

_I have really no excuse for the death and pain I caused them._

''Is something wrong?''

Springtrap was startled by Sam's question, noticing her looking at him. He also saw Emma glancing at him via the rearview mirror, looking quite suspicious. While he did want to talk with Sam about it, he didn't want to do that in Emma's presence.

''Not really…''

''Why don't you just pretend that I'm not here?'' Emma said, causing Springtrap to frown, despite there not being any malice or teasing in her tone. She really just wanted him to ignore her and talk with Sam.

''That is going to be quite difficult,'' he replied in a deadpan tone. Emma rolled her eyes, but didn't make any further comments, probably satisfied with the fact that he felt uncomfortable.

_She could give that entity a run for their money._

Even though he didn't want to discuss what he had in mind, he figured that he should still bring up something else that occupied his mind.

''I was wondering about your definition of the difference between attachment and possession,'' he said, looking at Sam.

''To be honest, that was just an idea I had,'' she said, scratching her cheek nervously. ''I'm not sure if it's correct, though.''

''It does make sense, in a way,'' Springtrap said.

''Of course it does,'' Emma said, interrupting the two. ''I admit I don't know as much as you two do, but it seems that spirits tend to attach themselves to whatever they feel emotionally connected to. However, while the emotional experience can be positive and negative, it still needs to be strong enough to keep the spirit from moving on. Or am I wrong?''

''Technically, you're right, but I think that depends on the situation,'' Springtrap said. Emma narrowed her eyes.

''I know that, Afton,'' she said. ''After all, how else should I explain your attachment to Sam?''

Both Sam and Springtrap looked a little flustered, despite knowing that it was true and were quite aware of their situation. Still, instead of making up an excuse, Springtrap decided to continue the argument.

''It is not that hard to get attached to her. You even said that she's the only person who cares about me,'' he said. He and Emma then glanced at Sam when she facepalmed. ''Sam?''

''Sweetie, what's wrong?'' Emma asked in a concerned tone.

''Haven't you two figured out how annoying your arguments are sometimes?'' Sam told them. ''I mean, I know that you both have a chip on your shoulder, but give it a rest every now and then.''

''Don't worry, sweetie, I will,'' Emma said in a kind, firm tone. ''I don't know about Afton though.''

''Don't mind me, Emma. I can keep out of conversations with unreasonable arguments,'' Springtrap said in a polite and charming tone as he glanced at Emma. She nodded.

''I see. I am glad that you think that my arguments are reasonable. You do make an interesting conversation partner, Afton,'' Emma said.

''That is nice to know. Thank you,'' Springtrap replied.

''You're welcome,'' Emma added, then turned to Sam. ''Is that good enough for your? Are we now please allowed to continue with our usual conversation? Pretty please, with a cherry on the top?''

Sam sighed, knowing that she should've expected her mother to troll her. What she didn't expect was that Springtrap would play along. She glanced at the bunny animatronic, who tried to feign innocence, despite the wide grin on his expression and glowing purple eyes.

''Do what you want,'' she said in a resigned tone.

''That's good to know,'' Emma muttered as they were driving past a fenced area. She then turned into the nearby lot, stopping in front of the entrance to a scrap yard. She then looked at Springtrap, who was stunned. ''It was nice knowing you, Afton, but this is where you have to leave. If you want to know, yes, you were an inconvenience to us. Now, I wish you goodbye!''

''Mum!'' Sam yelled at her, now furious, while Emma started laughing.

''Really funny, Emma,'' Springtrap said in a dry tone, although he was actually quite amused by her antics. ''Have you even considered that I could find my way back to your home?''

''Damn it, I didn't,'' Emma said, trying to sound serious. However, she was still grinning.

''You really need to come up with a better plan next time,'' Springtrap added, chuckling a little. As she calmed down, Emma pulled out of the lot and continued driving.

''You two are so immature!'' Sam said, still annoyed.

''Weren't you the one who told us we could do what we wanted?'' Emma said. ''Also, you were complaining earlier about us not getting along.''

''I didn't mean that,'' Sam grumbled. Springtrap leaned over to her.

''Don't worry. Everything's fine,'' he said in a comforting tone.

''I hope so,'' Sam replied, with Springtrap noticing her smile.

**xXx**

After arriving at the graveyard, Springtrap remained in the car, while Sam and Emma took the doll to Mary's grave. Sam placed it down on the grave, stepping back and joining her mother.

''Honestly, I didn't expect that the day would end up like this,'' Emma said, looking at the grave. ''I hope that bringing her here was enough.''

''I believe that it is,'' Sam replied, with Emma putting her arm around her shoulder and drawing her closer to her, with both observing the grave.

Unknown to them, Mary's little sister had approached the grave, looking a little disappointed. It seemed as if she still was in denial about her sister having already moved on, while she was stuck here. Taking a deep breath, she then walked towards the grave, vanishing.

Springtrap watched the event from the car, knowing that the little girl had finally moved on. He observed Sam and Emma, who looked quite happy and content, despite the weird situation they found themselves in. There was a sense of emptiness creeping through his chest, with him feeling again like an intruder who shouldn't be part of their lives. He leaned back, staring at his hands and clutching them. He closed his eyes, focusing on that feeling of emptiness.

_As much as I don't want to leave Sam, I know that I cannot stay here forever. Eventually, I will have to leave too._


	21. Left Behind

**Night 20**

**Left Behind**

_''I was left behind! All this torture will unwind, I was never all that kind! If you were to rewind, then you would find I was left behind! Take your turn to run and hide, I will catch you all the time! This night no longer shines, your tears divine, you'll now be mine! We hope you enjoyed the show within your grave down below!''_

_– **Left Behind** by DAGames_

**xXxXxXx**

Connor knocked on the door of the manager's office, waiting for the lazy ''Come in!'', and entered it. The manager was an elderly man who looked like he'd rather be at home and drinking beer than at this establishment.

''Ah, Mr. Davis, is there anything you need?'' the manager asked. Connor took a deep breath.

''I wanted to voice my concerns about the recent events. A lazy security guard and a missing employee isn't very good for Ricky's. I was wondering whether I could, aside from doing my regular job, also apply for the night guard job,'' Connor said, with the manager frowning. He then added, ''I would just make sure no one is on the premises after closure in order to prevent more accidents like this.''

''I will have to think about this, but considering how you're a longtime employee, have a clean record, are usually the last one to leave and we still cannot find a replacement night guard, you might get the job. Of course, we will also have to discuss your hours and paycheck for that,'' the manager said.

''I believe we will find a solution that problem,'' Connor replied, with the manager rising an eyebrow. ''It doesn't have to even be official. I'll just be on the closing shift as usual, but leave a while later after making sure no one is here.''

He knew that it wouldn't take much to convince the manager. He knew that he wanted to cut costs while pretending that everything was running smoothly and by the book. Not to mention, putting an employee as reliable as Connor was on the night guard position would spare him the hassle of having to hire a new night guard, especially since the day shift guard refused to take the night shift.

''I guess you're getting a promotion then,'' the manager said.

''Thank you, sir,'' Connor replied, exiting the office and walking towards the main area, grinning.

**xXx**

Sam yawned, checking her phone. It was late evening, with her and Springtrap being in her room after having finished cleaning the kitchen. Emma was a little upset about the broken dishes, although she didn't mourn the vase, calling it ugly and noting how she wanted to replace it anyways. However, she was glad things didn't escalate and Sam didn't end up scarred or worse.

''You seem to be really satisfied about this,'' Springtrap told Sam.

''Of course I am. After all, I managed to help someone improve their life, or rather, afterlife,'' Sam replied.

''Honestly, I'm just glad that she's gone,'' Springtrap said, with Sam noticing the bitterness in his tone. Before she could question him, they heard shuffling in front of the door and Emma peeked into the room.

''You two are still awake?'' she said, with Springtrap giving her a questioning look. She narrowed her eyes. ''You know what I meant, Afton.''

''Mum, could we borrow the car for tomorrow?'' Sam asked.

''As long as you manage to wake up early to drive me to work,'' Emma replied. ''Where are you even going to?''

Sam and Springtrap briefly exchanged glances, only to see Emma giving them a _Don't you dare to lie to me_ look.

''We planned to visit an abandoned building called Circus Baby's Entertainment and Rental,'' Sam said. Emma didn't seem to recognize the name.

''So, what is that place? Are you completely sure that it is abandoned?'' Emma asked.

''It is,'' Springtrap replied, with Emma giving him a confused look. ''At least it was the last time I was there, more than a year ago.''

''Should I even ask why you were there?'' Emma said, crossing her arms.

''I used to own it, and rest assured, it is completely empty,'' Springtrap replied. ''There are no people and no animatronics, just robotic parts and empty rooms.''

''I see,'' Emma muttered, looking a little skeptical. ''Anyways, don't stay up too late, else someone is going to sleep outside. I'm not that picky about who this person will be.''

She added the last part when she noticed Sam grinning, looking satisfied when Sam's eyes widened and her smile instantly vanished. Emma left, with Sam and Springtrap exchanging glances.

''To be honest, I'm not sure whether she was messing with us again or was completely serious about this,'' Sam said.

''I don't think we should take any chances,'' Springtrap replied. ''In any case, we have a plan for tomorrow and we can discuss the details in the morning.''

He was about to get up and leave, only for Sam to grab his hand, forcing him to stay. He was a little confused when he saw the annoyed look on her expression.

''Remember how I told you that I'm getting better at picking up on whenever you feel upset about something? I'm quite sure that there's something you didn't want to tell me earlier,'' Sam said as Springtrap sat back, looking a little flustered and anxious.

''I don't think I need to explain whom that little girl reminded me of,'' Springtrap said.

''No, but the children are gone, aren't they?'' Sam said. ''That chapter of your life is supposed to be over, isn't it? Even though it does influence your current situation.''

''True, but the more I think about it, the more I feel that not all of them are gone,'' Springtrap replied.

''You mean that entity?'' Sam asked, with Springtrap nodding.

''If anything, I'm certain that this entity is completely different from the voice that told me that I'd be back, for whatever reason they had,'' he explained.

''Considering how things are, you've been brought back to be tortured. Apparently, the Hell you faced wasn't enough,'' Sam said, noticing that Springtrap looked quite crestfallen. ''There is something else, isn't it?''

''How would you feel if I just left?'' he asked. He noticed the reluctant look on her expression, as she understood what he meant. It was more than obvious that she refused to let him leave, which he actually felt relieved about.

''Well, if you wanted to leave, it is your decision…'' Sam muttered.

''Sam, be honest with your feelings,'' Springtrap said calmly, in the same tone Sam used to talk to him in such situations.

''No, I don't want to you to leave,'' Sam said, now in a more confident tone, only to feel Springtrap patting her on the head.

''I know. I am not going to leave you,'' Springtrap told her. ''At least not unless forced, and even then, I doubt I would just abandon you. Besides, I'm quite satisfied with being back, so that's an additional reason for staying here.''

Sam smiled, with Springtrap feeling a warm sensation in his chest.

_Even if I have to leave, it'll be on my own terms._

**xXx**

''It should be here somewhere,'' Springtrap said as he looked through the window of the car. The two were searching for Circus Baby's Entertainment and Rental location. Springtrap felt a little tense about visiting it again, as he wondered whether everything remained the same, or whether the location was still there.

''Is this it?'' Sam asked, parking in next to the building next to an empty lot. There was an old rusty sign on it, saying CIRCUS BABY'S ENTERTAINMENT AND RENTAL, with the image of Circus Baby holding a microphone on the top of the sign. However, the colors were faded and chipped. The lot also had a broken fence around it, but it didn't seem like it was necessary for keeping intruders out. The whole place was decrepit and gave off a creepy vibe. The two exited the car, walking over to the building, with Springtrap being stunned.

''I can't believe this place is still here,'' he said. ''I thought that Henry had torn it down and burned the remains.''

''Well, I have no complaints about this place still being here,'' Sam said, looking quite excited. ''Let's go inside.''

Springtrap nodded, although he still stood on the spot, staring at the building. He did feel a little reluctant about entering it, as he didn't know what he might find there. Everything could've been the same as he left it, but it was also possible that there was nothing there. He sighed.

_It's time to see what is lurking underground._

**xXx**

''Is there a bunny plushie?''

''No…''

''But, I want one!''

Kathy looked at her younger brother, who was just as annoyed as she was that the only plushies were those of Ricky and the Misfits. The two hoped that they could find a plushie that looked similar to that green-golden bunny with the purple bowtie.

Speaking of the bunny, nobody had seen it. Sure, the two hadn't visited Ricky's in a while, but they were sure that the bunny would still be here. They asked a few older kids and even an employee about the strange bunny animatronic, but none of them had even noticed that he was there. The two felt disappointed, as they wanted to play with him.

They knew that the bunny was there, but everyone else acted like he didn't exist. What was going on?

''Maybe he doesn't work today,'' Kathy suggested. She then pouted. ''Or maybe he got fired?''

Kyle tilted his head. He didn't fully understand what ''being fired'' meant, although he knew that it was something about adults losing their job, as he overheard his aunt talking nastily about the people that worked in the grocery store. All he could imagine was the bunny animatronic being fired out of a cannon by Ricky, and got scared.

''I hope he wasn't,'' he said. ''That would hurt.''

The two then got approached by Virgil The Owl, who looked at them expectantly.

''Do you want a prize?'' Virgil asked them.

''We want a bunny plushie!'' Kyle exclaimed, holding his share of prize tickets.

''I am sorry, but there are no bunnies here,'' Virgil replied. ''But, did you know that rabbits are fragile animals and are most active in the morning and evening. They prefer to sleep during the day and through the night. Rabbits are very tame and not demanding. They can be trained to learn commands and play games. Rabbits make very little noise so bothering your neighbors will not be a concern. Rabbits love to be handled, like attention, and tend to be active when most people are home. Because of all these attributes they can make an excellent pet.''

''Really?'' Kyle seemed to be awed, turning to his sister. ''I want a pet bunny!''

''Me too,'' Kathy was just as excited about the idea as her brother was, but then quickly remembered why they were here, then turned to the animatronic. ''Did you see a bunny robot?''

''No, there is no rabbit animatronic here. We have Ricky Wolfrun-'' Before Virgil could continue listing the names of the animatronics, he got interrupted by Kathy.

''But, there was a bunny named Spring here!'' she insisted.

''No, there is no rabbit animatronic here. We have Ricky Wolf-''

Kathy groaned, with her brother copying her. Both of them were frustrated that nobody knew about Spring, not even the animatronics themselves.

''Hello, there!'' The twins turned around, only to see Ricky waving at them. ''Do you need any help?''

As much as the twins were aware of, there were two Rickys. One would sing on the stage and the other would walk around and interact with people. However, they would never be seen together. Of course, when they played with another kid their age and told him about it, he said that they were wrong and that they were stupid for believing that. The twins quickly left him, not taking kindly to the fact that they were insulted by someone who couldn't tell the difference between a robot and a person in a costume.

''Have you seen a bunny?'' Kyle asked hopefully. ''His name is Spring!''

''I'm sorry, but I don't know any bunny named Spring,'' Ricky replied. Kyle looked disappointed. ''However, you can play with me and my friends. Just come along.''

He reached out for Kyle, but Kathy grabbed his arm first.

''No, thanks,'' Kathy suddenly said, feeling uncomfortable in Ricky's presence. Even though he was friendly to them, she had a bad feeling about this and wanted to leave. ''Bye.''

Connor observed silently as the two left, feeling angry. He had realized that he basically got his confirmation that there was indeed a bunny animatronic roaming through this town. However, every time he appeared or was mentioned, he would take people he was interested in away from him.

_Well, it's time to hunt this bunny down._

**xXx**

As Sam and Springtrap entered the building, they noticed a thick layer of dust on the floor and every surface. There were cobwebs, as well as a musty scent in the air. It was dark inside, with shutters covering the windows, although Sam brought along her flashlight, shining it on the surfaces. The hallway they entered led to another room covered in posters of Circus Baby, Funtime Foxy, Funtime Freddy and Bon-Bon, and Ballora. There was also a reception counter.

''We're not even at where the animatronics were and I'm already excited,'' Sam said, contemplating whether she could take the posters with her.

''We might have a little problem, though,'' Springtrap said, pointing at the elevator a bit away from the counter. ''There are other entrances, but the primary one, which is reserved for the technicians, is this elevator and I'm not sure whether this place is still powered-up since nobody is using it. Also, just to make it clear, the last time I came here I used a different entrance.''

''Well, we could try it out,'' Sam said, shrugging. Springtrap was worried about the possibility of them getting trapped inside a faulty elevator, but decided to give it a try. Surprisingly, when he pressed the button for the elevator, it actually worked. He and Sam exchanged glances, then nodded, entering the elevator. Sam felt her heart racing when the door behind her closed. It took a few seconds, but the elevator then went down.

As they waited, Springtrap figured that there was a possibility that Fazbear Entertainment was the one who kept Circus Baby's Rental and Entertainment from being torn down. After all, they had already decided to open another location.

Meanwhile, Sam examined the entirety of the elevator, noticing how it looked exactly like it did in the game. The posters were missing, but the panel on which HandUnit asks you to type was still there. Sam traced with her fingers over the torn sticker that said ''MIKE''. She was smiling widely, feeling as if she was dreaming. However, this was much better than a dream.

''Deep below ground, where memories sleep, anger is restless and secrets don't keep.''

''What do you mean?'' Springtrap asked her.

''That was the description for _Five Nights at Freddy's: Sister Location_ ,'' Sam explained. ''Speaking of which, something's missing. HandUnit is not active.''

''I guess that someone turned HandUnit off,'' Springtrap said.

''I kind of hoped that we would hear him,'' Sam said. ''He might've offered me some Exotic Butters.''

Springtrap snorted, figuring that he should ask her a little more about those _Five Nights at Freddy's_ games. The elevator finally opened, with both of them exiting it, entering a smaller room with a vent they would have to crawl through. Sam glanced at Springtrap.

''I still don't get why people have to use the vents to get into another room,'' she said, noticing Springtrap grinning, his arms crossed on his back and his eyes glowing in a soft purple.

''It's just a precaution, to make sure that people stay where they're supposed to be. Do you really think that, unless directed, someone would use a vent to get into the next room?'' Springtrap asked.

''Well, you have a point,'' Sam replied.

''If you don't want to use the vents, I'll show you the way around,'' Springtrap added.

''Thanks, but I actually wanted to see what Mike had to go through,'' Sam said, pointing at the vent. Springtrap's ears drooped, with him looking a little anxious. He knew that Michael had been at this place, as he personally had sent him here, but the idea of her retracing his steps didn't occur to him. However, if she did attempt to retrace Michael's steps… Springtrap's eyes widened as he realized what kind of situation he put her in.

''Say, Sam, you'll be fine on your own for a few minutes?'' he asked.

''I guess…'' Sam gave him a confused look. ''Why are you asking?''

''There's something I need to do, but I'll be back soon,'' Springtrap replied.

''What is it?'' Sam asked.

''I'll explain you later. It's just something I forgot about,'' Springtrap told her. Sam tilted her head, a little skeptical, but then shrugged and entered the vent. Springtrap sighed as he heard her leaving, rubbing his temple. ''Why didn't I remember this sooner?''

He then turned back to he elevator, walking around it and opening the door that was concealed in the small area behind the elevator. As he had already noted, there were certain aspects of this place only he was supposed to know about.

**xXx**

Sam felt a little overwhelmed as she stood in the primary control module room. In front of her was the vent that led to the control room for the Circus Gallery. On the sides were the vents that led to the Ballora Gallery and Funtime Auditorium. She also noticed the keypads used for the controlled shocks, approaching the one on her left carefully, her fingers itching to press the buttons. She felt giddy, still a bit in disbelief that she was actually here, at the Sister Location. As she contemplated whether she should actually try the keypads out, she was startled when the light suddenly started flickering and turned on. Even the screens above her were turned on, albeit showing only static.

She figured that Springtrap was probably the one who turned the lights on and looked through the windows. Both the Ballora Gallery and Funtime Auditorium were empty, albeit there were scraps of metal and plastic lying on the floor. Running from one side to the other, she simply couldn't decide which one to check first.

In the end, she decided to visit first the Circus Gallery, wanting to see Circus Baby's stage first. After climbing out of the vent, she found herself in the control room for the Circus Gallery, leaning against the machinery to see the stage. It was dimly lit, with broken stage lights, but much larger than Ballora and Funtime Foxy's stage. She took a step back and crouched, opening the door to the small space below the desk, which once served as a hiding spot for Michael when the Bidybabs went after him.

She shuddered as she closed it, reminding herself that this wasn't a game or a dream. It was real and people had died here. Not only that, but several incredibly dangerous animatronics had managed to escape by using a human as a suit. Calling it an unnerving experience would be an understatement.

After returning back to the main control room, Sam turned towards the Ballora Gallery, roaming freely through the area, as there was no Ballora or Minireenas to stop her. The room didn't have anything of interest, aside from several decorations and posters showing Ballora dancing. Sam turned her attention to the stage, staring at it for a moment, then shivered, going towards the breaker room.

Now, the breaker room was just as she imagined it to be. She saw the panel for the power, the room being covered in wires and pipes, some tools on a desk at the far end of the room, as well as some machinery.

_This was where Funtime Freddy and Bon-Bon resided, at least for a while._

She stepped towards the stage where Funtime Freddy once stood, staring at it briefly, before turning back to the Ballora Gallery, with the intent to visit the Funtime Auditorium next. Once there, she glanced at the stage where Funtime Foxy was, then looked at the floor. While dusty, it was clean.

_I guess we'll never know what happened to those two technicians after they were killed._

She then walked over to the parts and service room, which, similarly to the breaker room, was covered in wires, but also had closets and a desk, as well as tools and parts that would be used for fixing the animatronics. As she looked down, she noticed a charred piece of plastic. Picking it up and turning it around, she realized that, while it was quite damaged, it was Ennard's mask.

She gasped, covering her mouth in disbelief as she processed the fact that she was holding a piece of a rather infamous animatronic. She assumed that Ennard, after parting ways with Circus Baby, came here to repair himself, only for that to go wrong. Instead, he became Molten Freddy, a bunch of wires with Funtime Freddy's mask and AI, as Ballora and Funtime Foxy's AI probably ceased to exist at that point.

As she exited the parts and service room, she turned her attention to two other rooms, one being the private room and the other being the scooping room. Biting her lip, she went to the private room, wanting to check it out. As she already expected it, it looked almost exactly as she imagined it to be. The monitors had been turned off, so she had no view of the other rooms. Just as she reached for the monitors, she felt a hand on her shoulder and quickly turned around.

''Are you okay? I'm sorry I scared you,'' Springtrap said as he saw her stunned expression.

''Yeah, I'm fine,'' Sam replied. ''I am actually quite enjoying myself, just like at Fazbear's Fright.''

''I see you have already found something,'' Springtrap said, looking at Ennard's mask. Sam nodded.

''Honestly, I don't think I have even explored half of the place properly,'' she replied. ''Anyways, what were you doing?''

''I was simply making sure you won't get yourself hurt,'' Springtrap replied, with Sam giving him a confused look.

''Thanks,'' she muttered, wondering what exactly he meant, only to figure it out a moment later. ''The scooper, right?''

Springtrap didn't say anything, avoiding any eye-contact with her. He was still troubled over what happened, as well as worried about Sam's reaction to everything. Sure, she had already known about the whole deal with the scooper and remnant, but there was still a difference between knowing something and experiencing it first-hand. Not to mention, considering how curious Sam was, he had every right to worry about her getting hurt.

''In any case, I have visited pretty much every room here, except for the one with the scooper,'' she told Springtrap as she exited the room.

''I think you might want to rethink that sentence,'' Springtrap replied, then glanced back at the monitors, a little reluctant. _Although, I guess she already knows, right?_

He sighed, feeling torn between letting her continue to explore and telling her that they should leave. After all, this was his idea, but the more he thought about it, the more he felt that he made the wrong decision. _There was a reason why I left everything behind._

He sighed, remembering the time he encountered Circus Baby decades after he had left her and the other animatronics. At the time, she had managed to somehow repair herself, becoming Scrap Baby. She was excited to see him, showing no trace of malice or bitterness towards him. She didn't care anymore about being left behind, seemingly forgotten, and wanted to do anything to make him proud. She wanted to be part of this horror show and he allowed it.

She even told him about what had happened to Michael, which honestly shocked him as, while he did sent him to this location, he didn't expect such outcome. However, the possibility of Michael still being alive despite being carved out like a pumpkin for Halloween sparked his interest, causing him to wonder whether he would encounter his son again. Still, that didn't mean that he wanted a family reunion. At that point, he had lost every sense of sanity, only wanting to continue to murder people.

Hell, even Circus Baby was a victim of his insane ideas. He no longer cared whether he was talking to the Circus Baby AI or Elizabeth when he encountered her, simply accepting idea that this is who she was. While he may have not wanted to harm her before, he had accepted her idea of her becoming his successor, while at the same time making it clear that he would also act on his own, without her help.

Springtrap sighed, closing his eyes with a look of anguish on his expression. Now that he thought about everything, he felt sick. He was furious at himself for even taking such dark path, even though he knew that he couldn't change anything about his past. He refused to understand the pain and agony he brought upon everyone, believing that there would be some kind of benefit from his actions. Sure, had had discovered what could be called essentially immortality, but at what price?

_Even if put myself into a similar situation, I still would have no idea what they have been through._

Time and time again, he had to wonder why he was still here, why he was allowed to come back. Was he supposed to repeat the horror show? Sure, he tried that, but Sam convinced him that there might have been another reason for his return. Or, maybe there wasn't any other reason for his return and this was just another form of torture? If it was, then they did a good job, as he now felt even worse than he did in Hell.

Still, there was a bit of hope left for him, as he had found someone who was willing to listen to him and help him out. It wasn't a bad deal, despite the constant anxiety and fear about her getting hurt somehow. After all, he had managed to hurt and scar every person he actually felt some connection with, and she might suffer the same fate.

_I should've stayed away from her._

He shook his head, his eyes flaring purple. Only because he knew that he shouldn't be around her didn't mean he was supposed to leave her. He had shown that he could change, that he could become a better person. Hell, he even showed regret for his past actions! He wanted to keep Sam safe and happy, and that required his presence, no matter how absurd that idea was.

_If this is not why I'm here, what else am I supposed to do?!_

In the end, the decision lied within him. Even if he had made a different choice, he would still suffer the consequences, which could've been even worse than what he was experiencing now. Springtrap sighed, exiting the private room and closing the door, then leaned against it, staring across the room.

_What should I do?_

Suddenly, there was a scream, with something falling on the ground, the sounds echoing through the empty room.

''Sam!''

Springtrap ran over to the scooping room, finding Sam sitting on the ground, clutching her stomach. He quickly crouched next to her, noticing the blood on her arm.

''Sam, what happened?!''

Sam looked at the dismantled scooper, with Springtrap noticing that the remnant injector had sprung open. While had had dismantled it, he forgot that there was a possibility that traces of remnant were still inside the injector and that it might activate if not handled carefully. He assumed that she picked up some of the pieces of the scooper to examine them and got stabbed by the injector after accidentally activating it.

''Sam, let me see the wound,'' he said anxiously, slowly feeling the dread rising in the back of his mind. Sam extended her arm, her eyes tearing. Feeling sorry for her, Springtrap examined her arm, seeing the tears on the bandages and blood dripping out of the tears. He took a look at her, realizing that it was just her arm that got stabbed by the injector. Still, that didn't make him feel less horrified. He looked at her, his eyes flaring purple. ''We're going home this instant.''

Sam was surprised by his stern and serious tone. It was less of a suggestion and more of an order, with her realizing that the situation was grave. She let him help her get up, feeling her arm throbbing and a little dizzy.

''Sam, can you stand on your own?'' Springtrap asked her, with Sam waiting for the dizziness to fade.

''Yeah, I think so,'' she said, even though Springtrap still held her non-injured arm. ''There's a first aid kit in the car.''

''I don't think that it will help much,'' Springtrap said as he looked at her injured arm. The bleeding had stopped, but there were still red stains on the bandages. However, he wasn't worried about her injury, but more about what the injector did to her.

As they walked past the remains of Ballora, Funtime Foxy and Funtime Freddy and entered the Funtime Auditorium, Springtrap directed her towards a concealed door Sam hadn't noticed earlier. It led to a corridor that had a fork. Sam assumed that one path led to the observatory she saw through the panel at the scooping room. Springtrap then gestured to take the other path, which led back to the elevator room. As the elevator went up, the dizziness Sam felt had faded away and she was capable of standing on her own. However, her arm still hurt.

''How do you feel?'' Springtrap asked her worriedly. Sam noticed that there was a hint of panic in his tone.

''My arm hurts,'' she said, holding her injured arm with her non-injured one. ''I also feel tired.''

Springtrap looked dismayed, fearing the worst. He didn't want to risk anything, but he also had no idea what might happen to Sam. After all, he never found out what might happen when someone who was still alive gets injected with remnant.

**xXx**

The drive back home was quiet. After having her arm once again bandaged, Sam insisted on driving them back home, despite feeling fatigue. Springtrap let her do that, as he didn't want to upset her further. The situation was already bad enough, even more when Sam expressed the desire to go to sleep once they had arrived.

''Sam, I don't think that this is a good idea,'' Springtrap told her. ''You need to stay awake.''

He was slowly freaking out. As much as he knew, remnant was supposed to bind the soul of a dead or dying person to a body, be it artificial or not. However, he feared that, if injected into someone who was still alive, it could outright kill the person. While Sam wasn't stabbed in any of her vital organs, like the heart, it seemed to be affecting her nonetheless.

''I'm sorry about what happened. This is all my fault,'' he told her.

''No, it's mine,'' Sam replied, her cheeks red. ''I shouldn't have touched that stuff. I should've known better-''

Suddenly, her eyes rolled back and collapsed. Springtrap managed to hold her, preventing her from falling down on the floor.

''Sam, wake up! Sam!''

Horrified, he realized that she couldn't hear him anymore.


	22. I Can't Fix You

**Night 21**

**I Can't Fix You**

_''This is what happens when you leave it to somebody else. If you want it done right, you should just do it yourself. You oversaturate your world with nothing but machines. You might make everyone happy, but you're dead inside just like me.''_

_– **I Can't Fix You** by The Living Tombstone & Crusher-P_

**xXxXxXx**

Springtrap placed Sam on the couch, feeling desperate. Sam looked quite pale, with him guessing that the remnant that was injected into her spread through her body. However, he had no idea what would happen to her. Realizing that the situation was getting out of control and that this was something he couldn't fix, he picked Sam's phone and scrolled through her contact list, finding Emma's number in it. He had no other choice but to tell Emma what happened.

_''Hello?''_

''Emma, you need to get home right now. Sam has collapsed,'' Springtrap said frantically.

_''What? How? What happened?! What did you do?''_

''I… Just, please hurry up.''

The call was suddenly disconnected, with Springtrap still holding the phone. He knew that, once Emma finds out what happened, she'd put the blame on him. He didn't care, as he feared that Sam's life was in danger.

_Why did this have to happen?_

Sure, Sam told him that she was at fault for actually touching the scooper, but Springtrap knew that, in the end, it was his fault. He was the one who made that damn machine and he hadn't properly checked whether it would still get activated even after he had dismantled it.

He had no idea how much time had passed, but suddenly he heard a car door outside slamming, guessing that Emma borrowed her friend's car to return home as quick as possible. Emma ran into the house, seeing Sam passed out on the couch. She turned to Springtrap, giving him a furious look that caused him to back away.

''What happened?!'' she yelled at him.

''I'm sorry...'' he muttered. ''It was an accident… Emma, I…''

''Why did you let it happen?! You said you would watch over her!'' Emma was livid, but suddenly stopped when she saw the distraught look on his expression. She looked at Sam, with her expression changing to despair as she saw how pale Sam looked. She crouched next to Sam, taking her hand, which was cold. She put her palm on Sam's forehead, realizing that she was suffering from a high fever. She realized that keeping her at home like this won't do any good.

''We'll talk about this later,'' she said, noticing Springtrap's stunned look. ''Get her in the car. She needs to go to the hospital. Where are the car keys?''

Springtrap nodded, pointing at the table. He then quickly lifted Sam up and went outside, placing her in the back of Emma's car. Emma emerged shortly after, getting into the car and turning it on. As she pulled out of the driveway, she saw Springtrap watching them from the porch. There was a look of regret and dismay on his expression. It was clear to her that he didn't want this to happen and that he was just as worried about Sam as she was.

She took a deep breath, knowing that this confrontation would have to wait.

**xXx**

Once Emma had left, with Springtrap went back inside the house. He was frantically pacing through the hallway, trying to tell himself that things would be fine. Sam would get the necessary help and things would eventually return to normal.

_Who am I kidding? This is a disaster!_

_''Of course it is!''_

Springtrap frowned, looking around for the source.

_''You have hurt another person. How many are you going to hurt until you're finally satisfied?''_

''It wasn't my intention to let her get hurt!'' Springtrap snapped back.

_''But, you did. In fact, you got her almost killed.''_

''I don't need another reminder,'' Springtrap replied. He sighed, sitting down on the couch. ''I don't want to lose her.''

_''Too late, buddy. It's time to say goodbye.''_

''Forget it,'' Springtrap replied. ''I had an agreement with Sam.''

_''You also had one with Emma. Your stay here won't last.''_

''It doesn't matter whether I'll stay or not. The only thing that matters is that Sam will be fine,'' Springtrap replied.

_''If she will be fine. So far, you have no idea what might happen to her. She might end up just like your other victims, like your own family.''_

''Don't you think I am not aware of that,'' Springtrap replied. ''I think about it the whole time, constantly second-guessing my choices. It is agonizing and it is annoying, probably the kind of suffering you wanted me to experience.''

_''True, but it isn't enough.''_

Springtrap's eyes glowed in a faint purple, with him feeling unnerved. He had to wonder what this entity considered a fitting punishment for him.

**xXx**

Sam opened her eyes, realizing that she was lying on the bed in her bedroom. It was dark outside, with her wondering whether it was already night. She tried to get up, although it took her a lot of willpower to even move her limbs, which felt as if they were made out of lead.

''Springtrap? Mum?'' she said, looking around her empty room. The last thing she remembered was falling down in the living room and all of her surroundings going black. ''Hello?''

She was quite sure that someone would be with her after she had fainted, so the situation felt quite strange to her. However, as she opened the door, she got almost blinded by a bright light. As the light subsided and she entered the room, her vision went blurry. Or rather, it felt as if the room didn't take its shape.

''Am I dreaming?'' Sam muttered, when the room finally took the shape of a dark corridor. She suddenly heard giggling at the end of the corridor, and followed the sound. There was another giggle, sounding like it belonged to a child. ''Is anybody there?''

Suddenly, she saw something moving in the shadows and quickly followed it. The corridor led to another, which led to a fork. Sam stopped in front of the fork, wondering which path to take. There was another giggle, which she followed. However, no matter how fast she ran, the giggle she heard would remain at the same distance. She stopped, realizing that blindly following random sounds wouldn't help her much. Instead, she focused on her current surroundings.

_There should be something that could explain me where I am._

She believed that this was probably a dream, but her experience with the supernatural showed her that things weren't always the way they seemed. She looked down at her arm, which was still bandaged, but it didn't hurt anymore, even after she pressed hard against her injury.

_I don't think that this is a good sign._

She focused on the corridor, deciding to move forward, but at a slower pace. She ignored the giggling, figured that she shouldn't be paying it any attention. However, even after she moved away from the sound, she could still hear it. She wasn't moving closer to it, but she wasn't moving further away from it either.

_Is there anything I can do about this situation?_

It seemed that the dark corridor became somewhat lighter and less blurry. Sam could see that there were posters on the walls and strange shapes on the floor. As she entered the next corridor, she found some kind of figure which was about her height. As she approached, she saw that the figure had a broken light bulb flickering in it's head, briefly illuminating it.

''Freddy?'' As it turned out, the figure was actually an empty Freddy suit that had been put on a stand. Sam approached it cautiously, then took another look at her surroundings. ''Am I at Fazbear's Fright?''

Suddenly, the lights started flickering above her, illuminating the corridor, and showing her that she seemed to be indeed inside some kind of replica of Fazbear's Fright. She heard the giggling again, but she felt that it was too real to be some kind of recording.

''Hello? Anybody here?'' she called out. There was another giggle, but this one was higher-pitched than the first one. She wondered whether there were more people inside the building. ''Hello?''

There was more giggling, with another voice joining the first two. Sam continued walking through the corridor, this time focusing on whether those voices would say something. Something told her that she couldn't follow them, at least not for now. She heard giggling again, with a fourth voice joining them, followed by steps. There seemed to be people running through the building. Sam tilted her head.

''What game are you playing?'' she asked, hoping they they would hear her. The giggling suddenly stopped, with Sam realizing that she finally had their attention.

''You shouldn't be here.''

While the voice was clear, as if someone stood right next to her, Sam was still alone in the corridor.

''I know,'' Sam replied. ''Don't worry, I will leave.''

''You don't have to. You can play a game with us if you want. You could be 'it'.''

''We have a lot of fun here and nobody gets hurt.'' Sam's vision became blurry as the corridor was once again replaced by that blinding light, changing into a new room.

''You can be friends with us instead of that bunny. You're nice.''

''I'm sorry, but I have to refuse,'' Sam replied. While she couldn't see them, she was quite sure that they were glaring at her. ''Why are you even here? Why don't you leave?''

''You are the one who interrupted our game!''

''Besides, we can leave whenever we want.''

''Maybe you could leave with us.''

Sam felt a little tense as she heard that. She was quite certain that she didn't want to leave with them. She needed to find a way out of this place.

''Well, I guess I should go now,'' she said, slowly withdrawing as the room took a more recognizable shape. It looked similar to Henry's fake Freddy's location. Sam gasped as she felt someone grabbing her hand and looked down, only to see a little boy looking back at her, smiling.

''Even if you go back, you will return anyways. Why don't you stay and play with us?''

''No,'' Sam replied. ''I'm sorry that you're in this situation, but I'm not planning on staying here.''

''He isn't your friend,'' the boy said, frowning. ''He wasn't our friend either.''

''I know,'' Sam muttered, sighing. She then gave him a determined look. ''That's why I want to return, so nobody gets hurt anymore.''

The boy rose an eyebrow, not quite believing her. Sam frowned, looking up and noticing a door, figuring that that was the exit. She walked over to it, briefly glancing back, only to see four children – three boys and one girl – staring back at her.

''You should leave too,'' she told them, then exited the place as everything around her turned black.

**xXx**

As she woke up, the first thing she felt was a strong headache, followed by throbbing in her arm. She was lying on a bed, connected to an IV drip. Her injured arm was covered in fresh bandages. As she glanced to her side, she saw her mother giving her a look of relief.

''Sam, how do you feel?'' Emma asked her.

''I feel like a truck hit me,'' Sam replied, squinting. Everything went blurry. ''This isn't my room.''

''You collapsed, so I had to bring you to a hospital,'' Emma explained, noticing the look of guilt on Sam's expression. ''What happened?''

''I accidentally got myself stabbed by the remnant injector,'' Sam said, blinking as her vision slowly cleared. She took a deep breath, trying to move, but her limbs felt like lead. She just looked at her mother, who was confused. ''I guess you didn't have time to ask Will for an explanation. Seriously, this isn't his fault. He actually dismantled that damn thing, but I just had to pick up a part that was still functional.''

''I see,'' Emma said, crossing her arms and frowning. ''Rest assured, we'll have a conversation about it once we go back home.'' Sam felt anxious, with Emma caressing her hair gently. ''Don't worry. You should focus on getting better.'' She then stood up. ''I'll be back soon, I just need to make a call.''

''Okay,'' Sam replied, sighing. She figured that it would be better to not tell her mother about what she just experienced. _I know I should be freaked out by this, but I just don't care._

**xXx**

Hours had passed while Springtrap was sitting on the couch in silence, hoping that Sam would be fine. She simply had to be.

_Even when I try to fix everything, it goes horribly wrong; and Sam had to suffer because of my mistakes. Not only her, but Elizabeth, Sammy, Michael as well. Even Henry…_

He felt horrible, wishing he had never brought her there. Suddenly, he heard music playing, only to realize that it was Sam's phone ringing. He quickly picked it up, seeing that it was Emma who was calling.

''Hello? Emma-''

 _''Before you start explaining yourself, Sam is fine. Her fever has been reduced, her injured arm had been patched up and she would be released this evening. As a matter of fact, she had just woken up and the first thing she told me was to not get mad at you,''_ Emma said, with Springtrap feeling flustered. _''Nevertheless, the doctor was curious about why she ended up collapsing, assuming it was some kind of infection. He did a few tests, but didn't find anything and, honestly, I don't think he will. However, I know that you know exactly what caused it and I want a detailed explanation once we're back.''_

''Okay,'' Springtrap muttered. However, he still felt anxious. ''Emma, I'm sorry. I should've-''

 _''Afton,''_ Emma interrupted him. _''You can either continue stressing out about what happened, or you can learn from your experience and prevent this from happening again. Make your choice.''_

She then canceled the call, leaving Springtrap in stunned silence. To be honest, he thought she'd be freaking out more and scream at him. However, the fact that she was so calm was quite unnerving.

_''You're in trouble!''_

''Shut up.''

**xXx**

''I'm sorry for what happened,'' Sam told Emma as they were driving home, looking at her bandaged arm. While she wasn't sure whether her past injuries would leave her with a scar, she was quite sure that this one would.

''What happened, happened,'' Emma replied in a stern tone. She then sighed. ''You and Afton gave me the scare of my life. The way he acted, you'd think it was more than just a fever… although, I guess that I am right with my assumption.''

Sam kept quiet, just staring through the window as they entered the driveway. It was late evening and Cassie's car, the one Emma used to get home, was gone, with Emma assuming that Cassie picked it up after work. The front door opened as she parked the car, with Springtrap standing on the porch. He was relieved to see that Sam was, while still a little pale and unsafe on her feet, was otherwise fine. He approached them, noticing that Emma was glaring at him, while Sam was happy to see him.

''Do you need help?'' Springtrap asked her, with Sam nodding.

He tried to avoid eye-contact with Emma as he held Sam's arm and helped her get inside the house and sit down on the couch. Sam took a deep breath, leaning back. She felt a little dizzy. Springtrap then glanced at Emma, who pointed at the couch, with him quietly sitting down next to Sam. Emma then crossed her arms, glaring at both of them and tapping with her foot on the floor.

''Honestly, when I left you two this morning, I didn't expect this to happen. However, considering what you're usually up to, I probably should've,'' she said, then looked at her daughter. ''Sam, you're grounded.''

''What?!'' Sam stared at her mother in stunned silence. As far as she remember, her mother had never grounded her before in her life. Emma then turned to Springtrap, was just as stunned as Sam was.

''Afton, you are going to make sure that she stays in her room. Understood?'' she said. Springtrap gave her a confused look, but before he could say anything, Sam interrupted her mother.

''Mum, why-''

''You want to know why I'm grounding you?'' Emma turned to Sam, tilting her head. ''You are allowed to continue with whatever you had planned, but only after I'm convinced that you won't collapse again.''

''Okay, I guess…'' Sam muttered, still baffled by Emma's decision.

''I thought you'd protest more about your punishment,'' she said, then shrugged. ''On the other hand, keeping you at home so you would get some rest isn't exactly a punishment. I mean, usually, I would try to make sure that you aren't constantly being locked up in your room. I guess I'm really not the type of parent who punishes her child.''

''True. You're much better at making people feel bad by talking to them,'' Springtrap said.

''Thanks,'' Emma said, turning to him and noticing how anxious he was. She rolled her eyes. ''Don't worry, I'm not going to kick you out. While I am still angry that you let this happen, I know that you didn't want to let Sam get hurt. Sometimes, you cannot prevent accidents from happening and, yeah, it's frustrating. What I'd like to know is what exactly caused Sam to collapse.''

''It's called remnant,'' Springtrap said. ''It is a substance that ties the soul of the dead or dying to their new body.''

''So, remnant is the reason why you're tied to this animatronic suit?'' Emma said curiously.

''Yes, but remnant isn't exactly reliable. It breaks at high temperatures, which is why the best way to destroy a haunted animatronic is to incinerate it,'' Springtrap explained. He glanced at Emma, who was now glaring at him.

''I assume you don't want to tell me how you discovered the existence of remnant,'' Emma said in a chilly tone, with Springtrap lowering his head. He felt like Emma was reading his mind. ''I am right, aren't I?'' She sighed. ''In any case, do you have any idea whether the remnant would have an effect on Sam?''

''Honestly, I wish I knew. As I said, everyone who came into contact with it was already dead or dying,'' Springtrap replied, only to notice that Emma was still glaring at him. If looks could kill, he'd be dead again. Emma then rubbed her temple.

''Hopefully, Sam won't experience anything beyond collapsing and suffering from a fever,'' she said, still glaring at Springtrap. She then turned to Sam, giving her a sympathetic look. Despite the fact that her mother was on her side, Sam still felt that it was her fault. ''Are you okay, sweetie?''

''I just want to go to sleep,'' Sam replied, with Emma and Springtrap exchanging concerned looks.

**xXx**

''Sam?''

Springtrap opened the door to Sam's room, but she seemed to be already asleep. He felt a little disheartened, as usually Sam and he would always have a talk before she went to sleep. He closed the door, about to return back to his room, when he suddenly stopped due to Emma standing right in front of him. He was stunned to see her, feeling anxious due to the annoyed look she gave him.

''Is something wrong?'' he asked, with Emma frowning. ''I shouldn't have asked, right?''

''Isn't it obvious?'' Emma asked sarcastically. Springtrap sighed, lowering his head and stepping away from her.

''Go on, yell at me. I deserved it,'' he said bitterly. Emma shook her head.

''Is that going to make you feel better?'' she asked, with Springtrap giving her a confused look. ''It makes sense, since you're used to being punished for every little mistake you make. Or am I wrong?''

''What do you want?'' Springtrap asked, his tone a mix of annoyance and resignation.

''I want to know what you're so afraid of,'' Emma said. ''I mean, I know that you have a good reason to be afraid of me, but so far, I haven't done anything that would warrant such fear. As I said, I'm not going to keep you away from Sam. So, what is it that you fear so much?''

Springtrap was at first silent, looking away from her and closing his eyes. He really didn't want to talk about it, or anything for that matter, but would keeping everything to himself make the situation better? Not to mention, he wasn't really keen on talking to Emma about his issues. He sighed, opening his eyes, which were now glowing purple.

''I'm afraid that Sam would hate me,'' he admitted. ''It is obvious that sooner or later I would make some kind of mistake that would get her-'' He cut himself off, not wanting to finish the thought. ''I could lose her forever.''

''You certainly looked like your life was falling apart,'' Emma said, noticing the anxious look on Springtrap's expression. He was completely torn in this situation, unable to make any kind of decision. Emma couldn't help it, but feel pity for him. He deserved to suffer, but she had to wonder whether there was even a point to it. He went through one Hell, was another one really necessary? ''You know that you cannot fix your mistakes, so you should focus on not making any new ones.''

''It's not that easy,'' Springtrap replied.

''True, but from what Sam told me, you actually put some effort into preventing this from happening, even if you lacked the foresight to realize that Sam would get once again too curious for her own good,'' Emma said, then smiled warmly. ''You should talk to her about it. I'm sure you two will be able to figure something out.''

''So, you're not going to do anything about me?'' Springtrap asked, with Emma tilting her head.

''No, mostly because I figured that you got tortured enough for today,'' Emma replied, turning and walking to her room. ''Good night, Afton.''

''Good night, Emma,'' Springtrap muttered, still standing in the hallway, a bit stunned. He then sighed, going to his room and closing the door, then leaning against it with a pained look on his expression. The sense of emptiness spread through his chest.

_Why do I feel so dead inside?_

**xXx**

''Springtrap? Spring?'' Sam observed the bunny animatronic, who seemed to be lost in his thoughts, staring ahead blankly. ''William!''

Springtrap snapped out of his thoughts, looking at her as if he just had noticed her, despite the fact that they were in Sam's room since this morning. He was sitting on Sam's bed, with Sam sitting on the other end of her bed, leaned against the pillow.

''Is there anything you need?'' he asked.

''Yeah,'' Sam replied, with a look of concern on her expression. ''I don't want to see you being so depressed. What's the matter?''

''I've just been thinking about yesterday,'' Springtrap replied, sighing. ''I shouldn't have brought you there. You're lucky you managed to escape with only a fever, as things could've ended up much worse.''

''Yeah, about that…'' Sam fidgeted with her fingers, noticing Springtrap's shocked expression as he realized that there was a lot more to it than he initially thought. She then gave him a curious look. ''Honestly, I am surprised that you haven't questioned me about my experience with the remnant. After all, you did say that you don't know what happens when someone who is still alive gets injected with it.''

''Why should I ask you that?'' Springtrap asked her. ''Sam, the most important thing to me currently is your wellbeing.'' He gave Sam a sheepish look when she raised an eyebrow, apparently not buying it. ''Although, I admit that if this was before we became friends, I would probably try to find out as much as possible about the effects the remnant had on you.'' He shook his head. ''But, now, that would be just wrong.''

''Well, I don't have a problem with it,'' Sam replied, with Springtrap looking stunned. She then bit her lip, grinning. ''I actually wanted to tell you about it, but you need to promise me you won't tell Mum anything. She will freak out if she finds out what I had experienced.''

''I promise I won't tell her,'' Springtrap said. ''So, what happened?''

''I don't really know what to call it, but it was either a dream or an actual out-of-body experience,'' Sam said, noticing the look of horror on the animatronic's expression. ''All I know is that I woke up in some kind of location that at first looked like my room, then turned into Fazbear's Fright, then turned into the location Henry burned down. There was also a lot of light and it was really blurry before it took an actual form. Also, there were four kids playing there and they told me that I didn't belong there, but they did ask me whether I would want to leave with them. I refused.''

''Did they tell you something else?'' Springtrap asked.

''Yeah. They said that you aren't my friend and that I would go back there again because of you,'' Sam added, then tilted her head. ''Maybe that place was some kind of limbo...''

''Sam, are you even listening to yourself?'' Springtrap interrupted her, his eyes flaring purple. ''From what you had just told me, you probably died! You're lucky that you're alive! How can you even be so calm about it?!''

''Honestly, I don't know,'' Sam replied. ''I've been thinking about it the whole night, but I realized that there was no point in stressing myself out because of what happened. I could either continue freaking out about it, or move on.''

''That doesn't matter!'' Springtrap jumped on his feet, now yelling at her. ''You were dead, even for a moment! Were you even thinking about how Emma would feel if she found out that, while she thought that you were just unconscious, your soul had detached itself from your body?! Are you even aware what I went through, constantly fearing that I would lose you because of a stupid experiment I made?!'' He stopped as he realized what he just said, clutching his head and falling his knees. Anger, anxiety, fear, regret... He simply couldn't bear it anymore. ''Goddammit, I didn't want this to happen! I didn't want you to get hurt! I just-'' He felt chills as he saw a shadow looming over him. Everything vanished, with only him left in the darkness. He slammed his hands against the floor, unaware of the blood forming around his eyes. Despair overwhelmed him. He didn't want to live a life like this anymore. ''I just… I just wanted to do what's right, for once, and even then, I messed up. The only thing I do is just destroy other people's lives, whether I want it or not.''

''You didn't destroy mine.''

Sam's voice was like an echo, with the darkness around him fading. Springtrap lifted his head, only to see Sam crouching right in front of him. She had a compassionate look on her expression, feeling sorry for him. Springtrap was just disgusted with himself, feeling he didn't deserve her sympathy.

''Sam, I will…''

''No, you won't!'' Springtrap winced when Sam yelled back. ''William, I am not going to let you give up on everything so easily. I understand that you're overwhelmed by everything and that you're past your breaking point. I know that you're worried about me, that fear what might happen to me if I stay in your company. However, don't you think I don't feel the same? I'm constantly on the brink of losing my only friend because of my own stupidity! All of this happened simply because I just wanted to see that stupid remnant injector.''

''You wanted to see 'that stupid remnant injector' that I invented,'' Springtrap replied. ''In the end, what happened is _my_ fault, no matter how curious you were. If that thing didn't exist, you wouldn't have been hurt in the first place.''

''If that thing didn't exist, you wouldn't even be here,'' Sam said. Springtrap kept quiet, simply staring at her. He didn't know anymore how to feel about everything, or even what to do.

''I'm sorry I yelled at you,'' he muttered. ''I'm a complete mess.''

''It's okay. You were upset after all, and I was being a stubborn idiot,'' Sam said. ''You know, I think that the only thing that matters is that we're both still here. Sure, we've both been hurt, but I do believe that there's a point in continuing with everything. This is something you just cannot forget and ignore.''

''I guess that means that you're still willing to continue with the investigation,'' Springtrap said.

''Yeah, but only if you stay with me,'' Sam replied. ''After all, you're the only person I can rely on.''

Springtrap thought back to his conversation with Emma. Even if she didn't say it or even wanted to admit it, she trusted him enough to let him accompany Sam, probably because she knew that he was the only one who would be able to something in case something happened to her daughter. He felt like an idiot for realizing that just now.

''I am not leaving,'' he said, only to be surprised when Sam suddenly hugged him. However, unlike last time, this time, he hugged her back. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, he did indeed come this far and it would be a stupid choice to just give up. Besides, didn't he always pull himself together and continued after every failure? He always came back, no matter how nonsensical his methods or reasons were. However, there was a difference between his past choices and this one.

This time, he didn't come back because of himself, but because of his only friend.

''You know, Emma told me that I shouldn't focus on fixing past mistakes, but try to prevent making new ones,'' he added.

''Isn't that obvious?'' Sam replied, with a mischievous grin on her expression. Springtrap just ruffled her hair playfully, with Sam glaring back at him for messing it up. She got back at him by booping his nose, with him looking a little annoyed. However, he actually felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

''Still, I sincerely doubt that I won't suffer from any more breakdowns like this,'' Springtrap admitted.

''If you do, I'm here to help you out,'' Sam replied, standing up and taking a handkerchief from her backpack. ''Also, you might wipe your eyes.''

''What?'' Springtrap took the handkerchief and wiped his eyes, only to see blood on the cloth. He frowned. ''I still don't understand how this is possible.''

''Beats me, but maybe it is a good thing,'' Sam said. ''You know, it might be a sign that there's still some humanity left in you.''

Springtrap chuckled softly, only to freeze when he heard another person speaking.

_''Oh, please, he doesn't have any humanity left in him.''_

Springtrap frowned, ready to argue with that entity again, only to notice Sam staring at him, looking surprised.

''Who was that?''


	23. Machinations

**Night 22**

**Machinations**

_''These Machinations carry on, for years beyond the trauma. It's haunted us, for 30 years, still waiting for the karma. These Machinations near the end, our souls will find their rest, now, it's time to pray, it's time to judge, and say good-bye old friend.''_

_– **Machinations** by StardustLegend ft. Eleanor Forte_

**xXxXxXx**

Sam and Springtrap were standing in silence for a few seconds, waiting for the entity to speak again, but there was no follow-up to the earlier comment. Springtrap then looked at Sam.

''So, you heard them too,'' he said, with Sam nodding. ''It seems like your near-death experience with the remnant had another effect on you.''

''It's not a bad thing,'' Sam replied. ''If someone has a problem with you, they will have to deal with me first.''

''That's kind of you, but you shouldn't have to deal with every issue I have to deal with,'' Springtrap told her.

''I don't have a problem with that,'' Sam replied, with Springtrap sighing.

''I should've known you'd say that,'' he said. ''In any case, you should go and rest.''

''Okay,'' Sam said as she sat back on the bed. ''But we're not done with this conversation.''

''Of course not,'' Springtrap said sarcastically, but then gave her an affectionate pat on the head. He then frowned as he thought back to his mental breakdown.

''What's wrong?'' Sam asked, noticing his concerned look.

''I hate to admit it, but I feel like I'm losing myself,'' Springtrap admitted, sitting down next to her.

''I hope you don't mean that you're losing your sanity like before,'' Sam said.

''No, don't worry,'' Springtrap told her, glancing at her. ''I mean, it's not like before, when I decided to just give into my bloodthirst. I'm actually torn between whether to continue like this or just leave.''

''I understand that it's hard, but you have my support,'' Sam said. ''I don't want you to leave.''

''I know. That's why I'm still here,'' Springtrap said.

_''Of course you're here because of her. Only not for the reasons she thinks.''_

''You're wrong about that,'' Springtrap replied in an annoyed tone. He then glanced at Sam, who nodded.

''Okay, I can hear you too, now,'' Sam told the entity. ''Could you tell me why you believe that Springtrap is here to harm me?''

_''Isn't it obvious? He's a murderer and he'll kill you too!''_

''No, I won't,'' Springtrap replied. The entity chuckled.

_''Keep telling yourself that.''_

''Wait,'' Sam interrupted the two. ''Before we continue, who are you? Why are you here? What is your reason for tormenting Springtrap? How come only now I can hear you too? Why don't you show yourself? Do you know-''

_''Hey, stop with the questions! I can't answer them all!''_

''I'm curious as well,'' Springtrap said, a smug grin on his expression as he realized that that entity was in distress. He also felt relieved now that he didn't have to deal with that entity alone anymore.

_''No!''_

''Fine,'' Sam said, with Springtrap being a little surprised that she didn't press on. However, knowing her, he was aware that she wouldn't let it go so easily and find another way to get her answers. Sam crossed her legs, leaning over. ''Could you at least tell me why you're targeting William? I mean, I don't mind his presence here.''

_''But, you should! He's a bad friend and an evil man.''_

Sam glanced at Springtrap, who had a look of guilt on his expression. She tilted her head.

''That may be true, but you're completely ignoring all the times he showed remorse for his actions and actually tried to be a good friend,'' she said, then gave a sour smile. ''Although, he does have issues.''

_''That's why he needs to leave! Or do you want to be his next victim?''_

''Listen, I appreciate your concern, but you and your friends are not helping at all,'' Sam said, waiting for the entity to answer. They didn't, although Springtrap did gave her a strange look. ''I understand why you hate him, and I'd probably too if I were in your situation. Sorry, Will,'' she added with a look of guilt. Springtrap shook his head.

''It's fine.''

''In any case, you cannot force people to change their mind, or at least, you cannot force me to change my opinion of William,'' Sam continued. She then frowned. ''Also, in case you meet up with your friends again, tell them that I didn't appreciate their offer of me leaving along with them. I get it that you're kids and don't know better, but that was the wrong thing to say, especially to someone who still has the choice to come back.''

 _''I have no idea what you're talking about,''_ the entity replied. _''I'm just here to protect you from_ him _! He isn't honest with you at all!''_

''If that's true, then how come that I always explain everything I can to Sam?'' Springtrap interrupted. He then frowned. ''At least, I try to…''

_''You don't tell her everything. Besides, you are hiding behind a mask.''_

''Ironically, I actually became the mask,'' Springtrap said sarcastically, with Sam looking quite amused.

 _''I don't think that's funny.''_ The entity sounded quite annoyed. _''Don't say I didn't warn you once he hurts you.''_

Sam didn't reply, with her and Springtrap waiting in silence in order to see whether the entity had anything else to say. They didn't, with the two feeling that, after their warning, the entity decided to leave the alone. Springtrap then glanced at Sam.

''I had already told you that I don't want to hurt you,'' he said, his ear lowering. ''However, I can't say that they aren't right about me being a bad friend or not quite honest with you.''

''Will, I am aware that there are certain things you hate to talk about. That doesn't mean that you aren't honest with me,'' Sam replied. ''I mean, if I asked you directly about it, would you just shrug it off and lie to me or actually try to explain it the best way you can?''

''Of course I would try to explain it the best way I can,'' Springtrap told her, now a little more confident. However, the confidence crumbled as he felt that whatever he said or did, it just wasn't enough to prove that he was different from his past self. ''Nevertheless, you still have to force an answer out of me and even then, you do it based on an assumption.''

''True…'' Sam muttered. ''Is there something you want to tell me? Don't worry, I won't get angry at you if you wanted to keep it a secret.''

''It is not exactly a secret, but I actually never specified how I discovered remnant. I mean, you, and now Emma, know that I found out about it because of the murders,'' Springtrap explained.

''However, there's more to it, right?'' Sam said. Springtrap nodded.

''Of course, this is also partially speculation on my part, but I do believe that there's some evidence behind my theories,'' he added. ''After all, it was already proven that remnant does tie a soul to a body.''

''Yeah, like with Mike,'' Sam said, only for her expression to darken. ''Or what happened to me.''

''Sam, you died…''

''I don't think I really did die,'' Sam interrupted him. ''I mean, it's not like my heart suddenly stopped beating, else the hospital staff would've been alarmed. I believe that, while my body didn't cease to function, my soul probably did detach itself from it, at least for a brief time.''

''That's where you met my former victims, right?'' Springtrap said, looking rather anxious. His eyes glowed purple. _Still, they had left, didn't they. Why would they even want to come back? Unless…_

''Considering that they knew I was friends with you and hated you, yeah,'' Sam said. ''However, that's not the issue here.''

''You mentioned that they wanted you to leave and that you refused…'' Springtrap's eyes flared purple as he realized something. ''You had the opportunity to come back, didn't you? However, they wanted you to leave with them, meaning you would've died for good if you had agreed.''

''It seems so,'' Sam said, leaning back against the pillow on her bed. ''While remnant did cause me entering that state, it was also the only thing tying my soul to my body. I mean, imagine a soul as a balloon. The string you're holding is remnant.''

''Still, why would they even tell you to leave? It's not like you were trapped or anything like that,'' Springtrap said.

''I guess that they consider being friends with you a fate worse than death,'' Sam replied, with Springtrap frowned. She gave him a sympathetic look. ''Well, the only experience they had with you was death, while I got introduced to an animatronic who is a dork with some serious psychological issues and haunted by the soul of a broken man and murderer. I got the opportunity to know you, and they're not happy about that.''

''Why would they? I don't deserve any sympathy,'' Springtrap said, glancing at Sam curiously. ''Still, you refuse to give up on me.''

''That's the main reason why I didn't want to leave with them,'' Sam replied. Springtrap felt warmth spreading through his chest, glad to hear that. ''However, that doesn't mean that one of them didn't follow you back.''

''So, you think that that entity we just spoke to and who was tormenting me the whole time was a kid I had murdered before?'' Springtrap asked.

''It would make sense. I mean, who else would hate you so much that they would want continue with the torture, whether you deserved it or not,'' Sam said.

''Believe me, Sam, I did deserve it,'' Springtrap said, then sighed, lowering his head. ''Even if they only had their souls trapped inside the animatronics, I still put them through torture.''

''Yeah, and you payed for that,'' Sam said in a stern tone. Springtrap looked up at her, noticing the determined look on her expression. ''It would've been understandable if your former victims, not even those children, but someone like Henry as well, went after you because you refuse to change, but that is not the case here. You have shown remorse and the desire to at be a better person. It frustrates me that _they_ are still clinging to the idea of a murderer in a bunny costume trying to gain my trust only to kill me in my sleep.''

''The only problem with that is that I nearly killed you while you were asleep,'' Springtrap pointed out bitterly. Sam rolled her eyes, looking irritated.

''It's not like you wanted to do that,'' she said in a dry tone.

''Still, this doesn't excuse my actions,'' Springtrap said as he stood up, walking over to the middle of the room and turning to her. ''When it comes to my past, I knew what I was doing. I knew what I wanted. Other people's lives meant very little to me, even that of my family. There's no way to sugarcoat it.'' He pointed at himself. ''Death was all I ever knew. I told you already that I wanted to kill because it made me feel better, as misery loves company. Only after I had took down that path had I discovered that there's a possibility for me to attain what is practically immortality. So, not only did I take people's lives, I also messed with their souls.'' His eyes flared purple. ''The remnant you're familiar with, it can only be formed when a soul has already attached itself to an animatronic. I don't know whether there's a way to artificially create it, but believe me, I didn't care. Brutal murder was the easiest way to achieve that.''

''You said that you used to be a technician…'' Sam said in a quiet tone. Springtrap lowered his head, with a look of disgust on his expression.

''Let's just say that repairing the animatronics wasn't the only thing I had done. I had figured that I could extract remnant and that I could use it to tie a soul to an animatronic much easier, or maybe even transfer the consciousness from one animatronic to another,'' he said. ''I don't know whether that process hurt them, but considering I had to often operate at higher temperatures so the substance would become malleable, and the fact that remnant breaks when heated excessively, I can only assume that it was agonizing.''

He thought back to the Fazbear Fright fire, as well as the inferno that finally managed to send his soul to Hell. While he could sense the heat chipping pieces of remnant away from him, eventually completely consuming him, he was more focused on finding an exit. He didn't want to part with the mortal realm yet. He looked at Sam, surprised that there was no look of hatred on her expression as he expected it to be. However, she showed no pity either. Instead, she looked just disappointed, not approving his actions.

''You know, if decided to turn up the temperature past the acceptable, you could've freed their souls,'' Sam said, turning to him as she sat on the edge of her bed.

''Which would've made the remnant completely useless,'' Springtrap replied. ''I told you already, people suffer because of my selfish desires, no matter whether I care about them or not. There's no way of escaping it.'' He walked over, crouching in front of her, his eyes glowing in a soft purple. ''Honestly, what I fear the most is that you'd hate me for what I had done, but I had expected that to happen the moment I decided to tell you everything. After all, you said that I need to do something terrible for that to happen, yet despite what I tell you, you never showed any sign that you loathe me. Hell, you even met my former victims who made it clear that if anything, I'm not the person you expect me to be. I have no disregard for human life, having coldly planned their deaths out and carried on with whatever I considered to be beneficial for me. So, why do you insist so much on defending me from others and from myself? Why don't you hate me?''

''William, let me make one thing clear – I had expected you to be much worse than this,'' Sam said.

''What do you mean?'' Springtrap stared at her in surprise.

''Considering everything you told me and everything I knew about you, I expected you to be some kind of predatory madman who lured children away from their families just for the sheer pleasure of taking someone's life. I expected you to be someone who deserves to be tortured for all eternity, someone who would never find any salvation. I expected you to manipulate and murder me the moment I showed any signs of trust towards you. I believed that you would eventually show just how much of a monster you are. **You did not** ,'' Sam said, frowning. ''You were honest with me, you tried to explain to me what you did and why you did that, you told me that you wanted to change, at least a bit. You grew upset when I got hurt, because you were genuinely worried about me and because you cared about me. You showed remorse for what you had done and you tried to atone for it by becoming my friend and making me feel better. Even if I wanted to hate you, I couldn't because you completely **failed** to show me what a monster you are.''

Springtrap stared at her, shocked, while Sam smiled, looking quite satisfied.

''So, you are left now with two options,'' Sam continued. ''You can either live in fear that I would eventually start to hate you because of what you had done in the past, or you could accept the fact that, while the past will always have an effect on the present, it doesn't mean that it will affect everything. In this case, while it is true that I do believe that you deserved to be thrown into your own personal Hell for what you had done in the past, I don't think that you deserve to suffer so much because you are trying to become a better person.''

''You're so stubborn,'' Springtrap told her, honestly having no idea what else to say. ''Thank you.''

''My pleasure,'' Sam replied, smiling.

_''Tsk, even if he failed to show you that he is a monster, he still **is** one because of what he had done in the past.''_

Sam frowned, looking rather annoyed. She stood up, looking around, with Springtrap standing next to her.

''I know that you're right, and assuming that you heard what I said, does it really make you feel better that you're torturing someone who was given a second chance?'' Sam asked. ''Not only that, but, assuming that you were indeed one of William's victims, shouldn't have finally moved on and put your own soul to rest? You and your friends got what you wanted! William's my problem now, not yours!''

 _''First, yeah,''_ the entity replied, sounding quite annoyed. _''Second, he deserves the torture! I don't want you to become his next victim!''_

''So, you admit to be one of missing kids?'' Sam asked, a sly smile on her expression. The entity was silent, obviously not wanting to answer the question. ''So, I was right all along.''

_''So what if you were?''_

''Well, it gives me a better understanding of your motives,'' Sam explained. ''I get it that you don't want more victims, but you chose the wrong way to make that message clear. I mean, you could've warned me instead of tormenting William, and causing him to hallucinate and lash out at me.''

 _''It still worked,''_ the kid said dryly.

''It did not,'' Sam replied in a deadpan tone. ''But, seriously, why don't _you_ leave? You should be free to go. Why are you still here? I mean, isn't being free what you wanted? Rest your own soul and leave the demon to his demons. There's nothing you can do to change this situation.''

_''It doesn't matter. I still want to see him suffer.''_

Sam then gave Springtrap a sympathetic gaze.

''I don't think you'd get rid of this kid so easily,'' she said.

''I know,'' Springtrap muttered, only to wince when he heard the kid giggle. _Even though I escaped Hell, it still followed me._

**xXx**

_Done._

Connor was staring at Quentin's endoskeleton, before reaching for the head and putting it back on the hedgehog animatronic. The animatronic remained dormant, with Connor smiling in satisfaction. He was just done upgrading all of the animatronics, telling the manager that it was just a safety precaution. After all, Ricky's couldn't afford more accidents, could it?

Connor remember how just a day ago, a detective and a police officer showed up to question everyone again about Bella's disappearance. He couldn't really offer them more information other than the fact that when he saw her the last time, she was still standing alone in the rain. After all, they wouldn't understand him if he just told them what really happened.

''But, you and your friends understand me, don't you?'' Connor told Quentin. ''We are not letting more of those accidents happen, are we? Of course, that doesn't mean that we won't get rid off those who don't understand just how lucky they are to be here.''

He then put the battery back into the animatronic, dragging him outside the room and leaving to roam the location. He then closed the door, glancing at the costume on the table. In about half an hour, it would be his turn to roam through the building as Ricky, so he had plenty of time to prepare.

He reached for his pocket, looking at his smartphone and scrolling through the newspaper articles he downloaded. All of them were about Freddy's, but he didn't really have the time to go through all of them. He was actually impatient to finally start the night shift, as he'd be left alone, allowed to finally take his time to proceed with his plans.

**xXx**

''Do you think we should tell Emma about the effects remnant had on you?'' Springtrap asked Sam. The two were in the kitchen, with Sam having gotten hungry and making herself a sandwich, while Springtrap was leaned against the kitchen counter, his arms crossed.

''You mean the fact that I was in Limbo or the fact that I'm now able to hear spirits?'' Sam replied.

''Preferably, the latter,'' Springtrap said, shuddering. He didn't want to see Emma's reaction concerning the former.

''I think we should keep quiet about it, at least for now,'' Sam said, putting the sandwich into the microwave. ''She will find about it eventually, but it I think it would be better if she finds out about it once everything quiets down.''

''You're right, but I don't think that her reaction will be less bad than it would be if we told her now,'' Springtrap said.  
''If you want to tell her about it, feel free to do it,'' Sam said, shrugging.

''I never said that I would,'' Springtrap protested.

''I know. Only a few are brave enough to face my mother's wrath and live to tell the tale,'' Sam said. Springtrap couldn't figure out whether she was teasing him or was completely serious about it.

''To be honest, I have met a lot of parents, but none of them ever managed to intimidate me the way Emma did,'' he said.

''Really, what did they say?'' Sam asked him, taking the sandwich out of the microwave.

''The usual, like, if a kid tripped and scraped their knee, that they would sue the restaurant for negligence – despite the fact that there was a sign that said in huge, bold letters that parents are responsible for their children and that the restaurant isn't liable for whatever happens to them,'' Springtrap explained as they went to the living room. ''Considering that most of them wanted to see the manager, you can imagine that I was the one who had to deal with all those bloody idiots who just pretended that they were worried about their precious snowflakes, but in reality wanted free food or money.''

Sam noted the bitterness in Springtrap's tone. It was more than obvious that he hated dealing with entitled people.

''I hope they didn't win any lawsuits,'' Sam said as they sat down on the couch.

''They didn't, mostly because I made sure that they wouldn't. I kept the footage with me, pointed out that there were more than enough warning signs and that the kid and their parents were at fault for not following the rules,'' Springtrap explained. ''Of course, after Henry and I left and the management set up by Fazbear Entertainment stepped up, things went out of control. While I am responsible for most of it, the new management was also quite incompetent.''

''Yeah, they would just cover up everything rather than investigate,'' Sam added. ''Hopefully, the new Freddy's location will survive.''

''Considering I'm the only murderous animatronic left and I'm more interested in spending time with you, they might,'' Springtrap said. ''Unless they mess something up.''

''Well, I don't have high hopes,'' Sam said, giving him an eager look. ''Anyways, do you have any more stories from when you still worked at the Freddy's franchise before its downfall? I'd like to hear more.''

''Of course I have,'' Springtrap said, relaxing a little. He didn't mind complaining about his former patrons and rest assured, he had met some crazy people during his time as the manager. ''There was this lady who complained about a teenager not wanting to take her order and demanded that he should be fired. The only problem was that the teen didn't work at the restaurant. Not only that, but the lady must've been quite stupid, or blind, since she didn't notice that he wasn't wearing the uniform and nametag typical for the staff. Also, another employee had approached us and said that he tried to get the lady's attention, but instead she went for the teen that was standing right next to him.''

''How can someone be so dumb?'' Sam chuckled.

''Search me,'' Springtrap said. ''She started screeching at me for lying and covering for lazy employees, so I kicked her out. If you want to behave like an entitled idiot, be my guest, but I'm not going to let that happen at my restaurant.''

''Was anyone else with her?'' Sam asked.

''Apparently, her son was with her, but went for the arcades and didn't notice that she was gone until he came searching for her. It seemed that this wasn't the first time that happened, as he didn't show any reaction when he was told why his mother left,'' Springtrap added. ''Another incident that I remember involved a family, with the mother wanting a discount, because, and I quote, 'I know the owner. We're really good friends and he always gives me a discount and a free desert for my family.'.''

''Oh, God, she just had to pull the 'I know the owner' card,'' Sam said, grinning. ''How did this one play out?''

''The employee wasn't sure whether that was true, so she got me to handle the situation. That lady still demanded free food and, when I told her she wouldn't get any, she threatened that I would get fired for being so rude since she knows the owner. You should've seen the faces her family made when I told them that, actually, I was the owner and that I had never seen her before in my life,'' Springtrap said, grinning. ''Apparently, they had no idea that she was lying and actually apologized on her behalf.''

''At least you got a good ending out of that one,'' Sam said, chuckling.

''Unfortunately, this wasn't my only 'I know the owner' story,'' Springtrap said. ''Once I figured that this was happening more often than I thought, I decided to try out different responses. The most memorable was the guy who told us that he knew that the owner's name is Freddy, which I sincerely doubt, unless Henry or I unknowingly changed our names.''

Sam burst out laughing, with Springtrap being glad to see her like this, enjoying their interaction. He was actually interested in telling her more stories, as long as he could keep her happy.

''I'm surprised that you even had the patience to deal with those people,'' Sam said.

''I had to have the patience to deal with them, because Henry wouldn't,'' Springtrap said. ''While he was fine talking to customers, the moment he saw that there would be trouble, he would claim he was busy and let me deal with it. While he would try to make up for it, noting that I was much better with solving such problems, I would still be bitter because of the lack of support. It was getting annoying after a while.''

''I guess that he wasn't really good with confrontation,'' Sam said, shrugging.

''Now that I think about it, he wasn't, but it seems that he grew out of it,'' Springtrap replied, crossing his arms and leaning back on the couch. ''In any case, I could go on forever about what kind of crazy people I had to deal with.''

''Sadly, entitled people will always exist. You'd think that, when reading articles on sites like Reddit, that they are a species of their own, joined by other people like religious nutcases, hardcore conspiracy theorists and anti-vaxxers,'' Sam said. ''Not to mention, they are also good candidates for the Darwin Award. To quote Dr. House: 'Darwin says: let him die'.'' There was a small pause, with her adding, ''He also taught me that it's never lupus.''

''I… guess you're right,'' Springtrap said, looking a little puzzled about the reference. Sam just grinned. ''So, do you have any other plans for today?''

''Well,…'' Sam fidgeted. ''I know that after this experience, it is probably a bad idea to go back, but I really do want to return to Circus Baby's. I'm still not done with that location.''

''I should've expected that you would say that,'' Springtrap said. ''However, I doubt that Emma would allow you to leave just like that.''

''She said that I'd be allowed to go if I didn't show any signs of fatigue, didn't she?''

Sam and Springtrap exchanged questioning looks, not sure about Emma's reaction about their plans. While they hoped for a positive outcome, they had a bad feeling about this.

**xXx**

''So, how do you feel?'' Emma asked Sam, placing her hand on Sam's forehead. It was evening and Emma had just gotten back from work.

''I'm fine,'' Sam replied. ''You can ask Springtrap if you want.''

''Did anything happen?'' Emma looked at Springtrap, with the latter trying to hide the anxiety he felt.

''No, she didn't show any signs of getting worse. It seems that it was just a fever,'' he said.

''Oh, really? Then, why are you two looking so nervous?'' Emma crossed her arms, glaring at both of them.

''Well, I wanted to ask you if I'm not grounded anymore,'' Sam said, giving Emma a sheepish look. Emma looked at her suspiciously, as if contemplating to extend Sam's punishment. She then smiled.

''No, you aren't grounded anymore,'' she said, with Sam looking relieved.

''Awesome! May I borrow the car?''

''No.''

Sam stared at her mother, stunned.

''Why not?''

''We agreed that you're free to go wherever you want, but I never said anything about borrowing you the car,'' Emma explained, twirling the keychain with the car keys around her finger. ''If you want to go somewhere, you will have to go by foot, use your bicycle or public transport.'' She shook her head. ''Did you really think that I wouldn't figure out where you would go once I lift your punishment?''

Sam bit her lip, knowing that she should've expected that. Springtrap was rather awestruck by Emma's move, realizing that she actually thought this out. By refusing to give Sam the car, she also denied them access to the Machinations Factory and Circus Baby's Entertainment and Rental. It was quite simple, but now they couldn't carry on with their investigation.

''So, is there anything else you need?'' Emma turned to Sam.

''No…'' Sam said in a defeated tone, then went towards the stairs. She understood that her mother meant well and feared that she might get hurt again, but she was still disappointed about it. Springtrap glanced at Emma, who seemed to be upset about Sam's reaction.

''Honestly, I don't want her to leave now,'' Emma told him, a little defensive. ''Maybe later.''

''I understand why you told her that,'' Springtrap said. ''Still, you said that she was free to go, right?''

''Yes…'' Emma looked confused. Springtrap grinned.

''I think I know just the right place that would cheer her up, is quite close and where she certainly wouldn't get herself accidentally hurt,'' he said. Emma gave him a curious look, then sighed.

''I hope you know what you're doing,'' she said.

''I assure you, you don't have worry about this,'' Springtrap said confidently, his eyes glowing purple.

**xXx**

Connor stared at the cameras, observing the animatronics as they were roaming around. As he approached them, they instantly went after him, believing him to be an intruder, which was exactly what he expected. After all, he was supposed to make Ricky's safer. However, he had made an additional upgrade.

He noticed Dahlia going towards his office, and pulled out an earpiece, putting it in his ear and turning it on. He took a deep breath and opened the door, with Dahlia suddenly turning towards him and reaching for him.

''Stop!'' he commanded, with Dahlia suddenly stopping. She stood in front of him, as if waiting for his next order. Connor grinned. He had programmed them to follow only a few simple orders, but he was quite satisfied with the results.

Not to mention, he figured that his old partner would be proud of his achievements.


	24. Not The End

**Night 23**

**Not The End**

_''Ah, the lovely, sweet destructions! The grand exit of innocent ones! Come on, come a little closer, I will make sure that you are gone forever! So here comes the payback hour. Do I fight back or hide away and cower? Alas, the Springtrap is merely nothing. I will get out and then we'll see who's laughing!''_

_– **Not The End** by Sayonara Maxwell ft. µthunder_

**xXxXxXx**

_What happened was merely nothing._

He opened his eyes, observing the room he was trapped inside. The room was cold and dark, the air damp and musty. It has been long since anyone entered it and even longer since it had been closed. There were puddles on the floor and water stains on the walls. Cobwebs were spread in the corners of the room like a bizarre Halloween decoration. Two old and broken arcade machines were standing against the wall, a thick layer of dust having formed on them.

_It was worth it, Henry. Everything I did, it came down to this._

An old costume, or rather, an animatronic suit resembling a bunny, was leaned against the wall, his head slumped down. The fur of the suit had turned green, a far cry from its original golden colour, after years of neglect. Tears on the suit exposed the animatronic endoskeleton inside it, as well as a pink, flesh-like substance that coiled around the endoskeleton, having merged with it. Half of his left ear was missing, exposing the wires.

_I will show you…_

His eyes glowed as he tried to stand up. He felt quite clumsy, having to rely on leaning against the wall in order to keep himself steady. He would eventually get used to his new body. Unlike the children, he'd be able to control it without having to depend on the animatronic's AI.

_This is not the end of me._

**xXx**

Springtrap stared at the building in front of him, lost in his thoughts. He felt Sam tugging his arm and glanced at her. She pointed towards the building.

''Freddy Fazbear's Pizza – that was your idea?''

Springtrap shrugged.

''It's close enough and it's relatively safe… which is a quite ironic thing to say,'' he replied. ''Besides, I thought you'd be happy to visit it.''

''I am,'' Sam said. ''The only thing I'm worried about is whether someone will see us going inside.''

''I doubt that,'' Springtrap said.

He and Sam then walked over to the building, getting inside through the back entrance. Sam took out the flashlight from her bag, figuring that they shouldn't turn the lights on. Instead, once they entered the main room, she placed the flashlight on one of the tables so the whole room would be illuminated. It was a bit unnerving, as a part of the room was hidden in the shadows, but Sam felt quite safe, especially since Springtrap was with her. Besides, no one but them was here.

''Looks like the place got updated,'' Springtrap said, pointing at a corner. Sam noticed a counter with shelves behind it.

''I guess it's some kind of prize corner,'' she said, walking towards it and looking over the counter. There were a few smaller boxes, probably containing some of the merchandise, along with one huge box right in the middle of the prize corner. ''I wonder what this is for.''

Springtrap joined her, noticing the bigger box as well. It was white, with red stripes forming a cross on it. He looked above, noticing thin metal plates lied out like a cross right above the bigger box. Something felt strange about it. He frowned.

''Which animatronics are they planning to bring back?'' he muttered, already aware for whom this box was. Sam glanced at Springtrap, then looked back at the box, realizing that it was actually a gift box and knowing that there was only one animatronic she knew about that would reside in it.

''The Puppet?'' she said.

''It seems so,'' Springtrap replied, looking at the metal plates. ''I guess those are for the strings, so the Puppet would move, get the prize and giving to whoever won it.''

''Unlike before, it won't be able to go everywhere,'' Sam added. ''I wonder if they made more changes.''

''It doesn't seem so, but it won't hurt if we check. I'm actually curious what they came up for this location,'' Springtrap replied. Sam nodded, with the two separating. She went to check the back room, while Springtrap went towards the hidden room.

He felt a little strange, knowing that this Freddy's location wasn't the same as the ones he had been before at, but there were enough similarities to trigger some memories, with one of them being the gift box. The Puppet was actually Henry's idea, and was one of the first animatronics they had created, right behind the likes of Fredbear and Spring Bonnie. Henry designed it as a security animatronic, with the Puppet keeping an eye on the person who was wearing a green bracelet. He proposed to extend this feature to the other animatronics, as he planned to give that bracelet to Charlie. While William was impressed by Henry's idea, he actually thought that the Puppet was quite creepy, even before it became haunted. Rest assured, Charlie made good use of the Puppet later on.

Springtrap entered the hidden room, which didn't experience any change. It looked the same as they left it, although he figured that, once the restaurant was opened, it would probably be used.

_Are they going to make springlock animatronics?_

After all, those hidden rooms were specifically made for employees who were using the springlock suits. However, he knew that he could use the rooms in a more creative manner. After all, would anyone assume that the blood stains on the floor came from a murdered child rather than from an injured employee?

_They wouldn't know._

Springtrap suddenly felt chills, as if the temperature dropped. He exited the room and closed the door, going back to the main area. Sam wasn't there, so he checked the back room next to the stage, which was empty, and then went towards the employee area. He soon found her at the security guard's office, realizing that she was inside when he saw that the camera in the hallway was on.

''Sam, may I come inside?'' he called out.

''Sorry, but the rules dictate that I cannot let any animatronic inside until 6 AM.''

''Sam, it's not even 12 AM. The game hadn't even started.'' The door opened, with Sam looking at Springtrap, grinning.

''Yeah, you're right,'' she replied. ''So, have you found anything?''

''No, you?''

Sam shook her head. ''There isn't anything new, but I hope that there will be something soon. I really hope Freddy's will open this summer. It would be awesome to see this place open once again.''

''You really think so?'' Springtrap asked, with Sam nodding. ''Honestly, I am not so sure about this, considering what would happen every time Freddy's, or a location related to Freddy's, opens.''

''Maybe, but currently, Ricky's is the source of problems,'' Sam pointed out.

''True,'' Springtrap said, frowning. ''Hopefully, there aren't any other missing people cases.''

''Wait a sec,'' Sam said, taking out her smartphone and checking the local news. She shook her head. ''Aside from Bella's case, there's nothing.''

''I doubt he'd be searching for new victims unless something triggers him,'' Springtrap said. Sam fell silent, biting her lip.

''What should we do about Connor?'' she asked. ''I don't want more people to become his victims.''

''I'm not sure,'' Springtrap replied. ''However, I'd like to know what kind of animatronics he's building and why. They looked like the Freddy and his friends, but had a different design and purpose.''

''We won't know what he plans to do with them until he finishes them,'' Sam muttered, her arms crossed. She sighed. ''I guess that the only thing we can do is to wait.''

She then walked back to the main area, looking rather crestfallen. Springtrap observed her as she left, feeling downhearted. He brought her here to cheer her up, but pretty much failed at it. He figured that he should do at least something to comfort her.

However, just as he started to walk over to her, sudden static appeared in front of his eyes. He tried to shake it off, and it did vanish, but he noticed something moving at the end of the hallway.

''Sam?'' he called out, going towards where he saw the shadow. ''Sam?''

There was no response. He frowned, knowing that he had to keep calm. If he was hallucinating again, he had to make sure that he stays lucid instead of giving in, as he'd lose himself.

''Sam!''

He wasn't sure whether Sam could hear him, but he hoped that he could at least warn her that something was wrong. As he entered the main area, he noticed that no one was there. He leaned against the wall, figuring it would be better if he stayed at one place.

''What is it now?'' he muttered, his eyes glowing purple.

_''You said that we should follow you…''_

Springtrap looked around, searching for the person who was talking to him. He knew that it was the entity, or rather, the child who had talked him and caused him to hallucinate before.

''I know,'' Springtrap replied. ''I regret what I did.''

 _''It's too late to apologize!''_ the kid hissed, then continued in a more pleasant tone. _''Maybe you could follow us.''_

Springtrap stared in horror as small shadow-like figures formed in front of him. First, there were two, then another one, then two more. They were all children, but unlike what he had seen before. They were shadows, with only features that were visible being their red glowing eyes and white stripes on their cheeks.

 ** _''FoLlOw Us!''_** The children whispered in a commanding tone, their voices ethereal.

''No…'' Springtrap whispered, shaking as the shadow children reached for him. He was afraid of what would happen if they touched him. His response only aggravated them, and he could hear a mix of screams of anger and cries of agony. He could hear their whispers of desire for revenge. He closed his eyes, refusing to look at them.

_Please, stop!_

''What are you doing?!''

He opened his eyes, only to see Sam staring at him, looking horrified. Springtrap noticed the shadow children turning towards her, realizing that Sam could actually see them.

_But, this is a hallucination,… isn't it?_

Sam stepped back at first when she saw the shadow children staring at her, looking hesitant, but then frowned and walked over to them, her fists clenched.

''Get away from him!'' she yelled at them, despite looking quite unnerved about the children's presence. However, instead of stopping, she continued walking towards them. Suddenly, there was a sound of wind blowing and the shadow children vanished, flickering out of existence like a candle's flame. Sam and Springtrap exchanged glances, completely freaked out. ''What the hell was that? Are you okay?''

''I just wanted to ask you the same thing. You saw them too, didn't you?'' Springtrap replied, appreciating her concern. Sam nodded.

''That was one of those hallucinations you tend to experience, right?'' she asked.

''It seems so, but I didn't expect you to see the same,'' Springtrap replied. ''No offense, but, I am glad that you did see them.''

''It's fine. I'd also would want to someone to be with me if I had to deal with this,'' Sam said.

Springtrap nodded, looking back at the room, feeling tense, despite the fact that everything seemed to be normal. He sighed, having a feeling that this hallucination wasn't over yet. He sat down, with Sam sitting right next to him, looking worried. He glanced at her. ''Do you want to leave?''

''No… Not yet,'' Sam muttered, taking a deep breath in order to calm down. She just now realized that her heart was still racing and she felt as if the image of the shadow children was burned into her mind. ''Those children… were they real?''

''I don't think so,'' Springtrap replied. ''It was just a hallucination, but I don't understand how it was possible for you too see it.''

''Will, maybe those hallucinations aren't really hallucinations,'' Sam said, with Springtrap giving her a questioning look. ''What I wanted to say is that they might not be a product of your mind, but actually real. However, they were only visible to you.''

''At least until this point,'' Springtrap added, then frowned as he thought back to his other hallucinations. ''Some of those hallucinations were memories, but some I couldn't explain, like the fact that I basically held a full conversation with Henry, or at least a person I believed to be Henry.''

''Maybe it was really him,'' Sam said. Springtrap shrugged, not really knowing what to believe anymore. Sam gave him a concerned look. ''Will?''

''I'm-'' Just as he wanted to assure Sam that he'd be fine, he noticed her expression. He sighed. ''I don't know. This is getting a little overwhelming.''

''Considering that you just suffered from another terrifying hallucination, I'd be surprised if you didn't feel like this,'' Sam said. ''Not to mention, there's also the mental breakdown you went through today.''

''I feel like I could've handled it better,'' Springtrap said, a little frustrated. ''I shouldn't be experiencing those mental breakdowns.''

''William, in my opinion, you're handling it much better than you think. Don't be so hard on yourself,'' Sam said in a comforting tone. ''Besides, the kind of emotional and mental scarring you had experienced won't go away so easily. Rest assured, you have my support, so if there's anything troubling you, you can tell me and we can talk about it.''

''Honestly, I don't know what I did to deserve you,'' Springtrap said.

_''You don't deserve her at all!''_

Both Springtrap and Sam instantly jumped on their feet the moment they heard the kid talking to them.

''This is not up to you to decide!'' Sam replied, stepping forward.

 _''Why shouldn't it be? We have every right to do what we want, now that we are free,''_ the kid replied.

''Only because you are free doesn't mean you can abuse your freedom,'' Sam replied.

 _''We are not abusing it! We are doing what's right!''_ the kid yelled at her. _''Why don't you understand?!''_

''I understand, but I don't approve of your methods,'' Sam told them.

 _''No, you don't understand!_ '' the kid insisted, then added in a dark tone. _''I guess I need to make you understand.''_

''What?'' Sam frowned.

_''You need to know what you got yourself into.''_

Sam turned to Springtrap, who suddenly clutched his head, crouching. He looked like he was in agony. She was standing, frozen on the spot, wanting to help him, but also knowing that it wouldn't be a smart move to approach him like this.

''Springtrap?'' She slowly stepped back, feeling that, whatever that entity had done, had affected Springtrap severely. ''William?''

Suddenly, the flashlight on the table flickered and turned off. The temperature dropped, with Sam feeling cold. She shivered, taking another step back while still keeping an eye on Springtrap. She could see his eyes flaring purple, a clear sign that something was wrong. She felt unnerved, even afraid for a moment. _What's going on?_

Suddenly, there were steps. Sam could hear heavy steps, as if someone was approaching her, but she couldn't see who it was. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw tall shadows walking around, taking a more material shape, just like the shadow children. However, these were not children… or were they?

Sam's eyes widened as one of the shadows she saw took the shape of Freddy Fazbear, although this one was completely black, with only his red eyes being visible. Freddy stood in the middle of the room, slowly turning his head towards her, tilting his head. Sam gasped, stepping back. Freddy didn't attack her, but instead went towards the hidden room. She flinched when she suddenly heard screeching and banging, as well as the sound of metal smashing, as if someone attacked the animatronic. Then, everything went quiet. Sam looked around, only to see the shadows with the appearances of Bonnie, Chica and Foxy following Freddy. Each of them met the same fate.

Sam knew well that the entity probably wanted to show her the animatronics demise, when William lured them into the back room and dismantled them. Still, she didn't understand why this was shown to her. Would she see the spirits of the children chasing William into the Springtrap suit as well?

''William…''

Suddenly realizing that something was wrong, Sam turned to where Springtrap was, only to realize that the had vanished.

''William?'' Sam called out, albeit reluctantly. Not only was her friend gone, but the last time she saw him, he was in a quite bad state. She feared that he would lose himself again and that he might lash out at her again, which was something he was afraid of, even more than she was. She knew that, if he hurt her even accidentally, it would shatter whatever confidence he managed to build up, and she didn't want to lose him again.

''William?'' she called out, this time a little louder. She knew she had to find him as soon as possible, but at the same time, she was aware that she was in danger due to how unpredictable Springtrap could be. She knew that she should get out of this place, but she couldn't leave Springtrap alone. _Where is he?_

She froze when someone suddenly grabbed her from the back, as if hugging her. Sam felt something cold being pressed against her chest, noticing the kitchen knife, with the sharp blade facing upwards, ready to slice her neck. Sam didn't dare to move. She clenched her fists, waiting for Springtrap's next move.

''I am glad that you came here,'' Springtrap said in a disturbingly pleased tone. ''I was getting a little lonely.''

''What do you mean?'' Sam asked, feeling tense. She tried not to look down at the knife.

''You could stay with me and the others,'' Springtrap whispered. ''We could be one big happy family.''

Sam took a deep breath, trying to figure out her next move. She realized that she should resign herself to her fate.

''Okay, then. If you feel so lonely, I'll be fine with being a part of your family,'' she said. She felt the grip on her shoulder weakening and noticed the blade lowering. She then grabbed his wrist, the hand that was holding the knife. _Surprised?_

''Sam…''

The knife fell down, with Springtrap stepping back, letting her go. Sam turned around, noticing Springtrap on his knees, clutching his head. He looked like he was quite in pain, as if he was being torn inside. Sam crouched, looking at him, worried about what was going on with him.

''Please, wake up,'' she pleaded. Springtrap's eyes were flaring purple, although there was also a hint of red in it. However, the red hue faded, with the purple glow in his eyes dimming. He gave her a confused and horrified look.

''What happened?'' he asked. He was stunned when Sam suddenly hugged him. He hugged her back, not understanding her reaction. However, he then noticed the knife lying on the floor. His eyes widened in terror, with him wondering what had happened. ''Sam…''

''It's fine,'' Sam replied, sounding rather relieved, which confused him. ''You didn't hurt me or anything like that. Just, please calm down.''

Springtrap didn't understand the situation, but wondered whether he even wanted to know what had happened. Something told him that Sam was downplaying the situation, but he was afraid of what she would tell him. He tried to calm down first, as he knew that panicking wouldn't help his case.

''Do you even know how you got hold of that knife?'' Sam asked, with Springtrap glancing back at the knife. He shook his head.

''No, I don't. All I know is that I was remembering something… and in the next moment, I'm here,'' he explained.

''What was that memory about?'' Sam asked.

''That…'' Springtrap lowered his head as he thought about it. Sam wondered why he was so hesitant to talk about it. ''It was what I did to them…''

Sam felt chills going down her spine and she suddenly had the urge to get away from Springtrap, but quickly shook it off. However, her reaction didn't go unnoticed. Springtrap felt sick, getting up and stepping away from her, as he knew that Sam wouldn't do the same because she didn't want to hurt his feelings. He felt heartbroken when he saw how hurt Sam was, realizing that stepping away from her was a bad decision.

''Sam, I'm sorry…'' He was surprised to see Sam shake her head, stepping towards him.

''I just want to know what exactly happened,'' she said. ''I don't mean the Missing Children Incident, as you had already told me about it, but what you had experienced just now. You said that you were remembering something, but you were unaware of your surroundings, right?''

''Yes,'' Springtrap said in a quiet tone.

''I think that what happened was that you were living out a memory,'' Sam said, with Springtrap looking disturbed. ''You essentially lost any sense of reality for a few moments.''

''What did I do?'' Springtrap asked.

''You wanted to make me a part of your family,'' Sam said, glancing at the knife on the floor. She saw the look of horror on Springtrap's expression. ''I agreed.''

''Why would you agree to something like that?'' Springtrap asked her.

''I figured that you wouldn't hurt me even if you did threaten me,'' Sam admitted.

''You trust me too much,'' Springtrap muttered, with Sam shrugging, a half-smile forming on her expression. He sighed. ''Honestly, it was both a memory and reality. I saw shadow-like figures whom I assumed to be people. One of those figures, which looked like a small child, led me to you, and I just knew you were… well, you were supposed to be my next victim. However, after your response, I realized that I simply couldn't do it.''

''So, you remember our conversation?'' Sam asked, with Springtrap nodding quietly. ''To be honest, I'm glad that you do.''

''Okay…'' Springtrap nodded, still a little shook.

''Hey.'' He looked up, seeing Sam smiling. ''Everything is fine. Don't worry, I don't hate you for this.''

''I know,'' Springtrap said, sighing. ''After all, you told me that it's quite hard for you to hate me.''

_''Even after he had almost hurt you?''_

Sam frowned, turning towards where she heard the voice.

''No one has asked for your opinion,'' she said, with Springtrap noting the irritation in her tone.

_''Maybe, but you got scared. You saw what happens when you decide to be his friend.''_

Sam took a deep breath, with Springtrap having a bad feeling about this. However, he wasn't afraid that she would lash out at him, but at the kid.

''So, you were responsible for this?'' she asked calmly.

 _''I was just showing you the truth,''_ the entity replied. _''We won't be forgotten. We will make him pay.''_

''Really?'' Springtrap shivered when he heard Sam's cold tone. He didn't remember her ever speaking like this, at least not to him. ''So, do you really think I would approve this, supposedly being his next victim?''

_''Yeah, you should!''_

**''No!''** Despite the fact that she didn't yell at him, Springtrap took a step away from Sam. In his opinion, Sam could be just as scary as Emma if she wanted. ''Rest assured, your antics are not earning you any sympathy from me, so if you don't want me to start hate you, knock it off already! Leave William and me alone!''

There was brief moment of silence, with Sam noticing that the temperature dropped again. However, her stern expression didn't change.

 _''You!''_ Springtrap flinched, realizing that the entity was talking to him. _''Stop messing with her mind! She doesn't deserve this!''_

Springtrap glanced at Sam, looking completely confused. She gave him a sympathetic look.

_''I won't let you get away with this.''_

After this ominous warning, Sam could feel the temperature slowly returning back to normal. She glanced at the floor and noticed that the knife was gone. Figuring that the kid had left, she sighed in relief.

''Okay, this was…'' Springtrap muttered. ''I don't know what to say.''

''Sometimes it's best to not say anything,'' Sam said, glancing at him. ''Besides, silence can never be misquoted.''

Springtrap snorted, with Sam grinning. However, the expression of amusement faded and Springtrap looked troubled, with Sam feeling worried about him.

''You know, they're right about it…'' Springtrap noticed that Sam wanted to protest and shook his head. ''I'd be lying if I said that I didn't deserve the torture.'' He then gave her a mischievous look. ''Also, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't enjoy seeing you lash out at them.''

''Hey, they had it coming. I mean, it's not like we asked to deal with this mess. We just wanted to enjoy a calm night,'' Sam said, then frowned. ''Not to mention, there's still Ricky's.''

''True,'' Springtrap muttered, noticing the tired look on Sam's expression. He wished that there was a way to not let her have to deal with this.

**xXx**

''So, that's it…'' Connor stared at the articles he read on his phone. He was a little disappointed that there were no details about the murders at Freddy's or about the killer. Hell, there was nothing about the animatronics either, except for one coming from around the time the '93 location had closed, describing the mucus and blood coming out of the animatronics.

However, he didn't really have time to think much about it as he focused on Ricky and the Misfits, who were roaming around the restaurant. He was sitting in the main area, observing them. So far, they would follow his orders, even more specific ones, like lifting an object. However, while he was satisfied with the result, he knew that the program was still in development. He had a better use for it than just letting the animatronics follow his orders.

Still, that didn't prevent him from having some fun, as he had sent Max behind the bar to get him a soda as he was reading the articles. It was quite simple, as the cat animatronic would take the bottle of soda that Connor had already placed there and bring it back to him. Currently, he was taking a sip of the soda, thinking about his next step.

He noticed Ricky coming towards him, despite the fact that he had ordered him to go to the arcades.

''Ricky, stop!'' he said in a stern tone. The animatronic stopped for a brief moment, twitching, but then resumed. ''I said, stop!''

This time, the animatronic didn't stop. Connor jumped on his feet and quickly went towards the room behind the stage, observing Ricky as the wolf animatronic went after him. Something was wrong.

''Dahlia, go to the kitchen,'' he said, watching the swan animatronic turn towards the stage. She was twitching, but remained on her spot. ''Damn it!''

Connor realized that the program was flawed. It seemed that the animatronics had glitched out, refusing to follow the code he put into. He groaned, knowing that it would take some time to perfect it. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he sat down, wondering what he should do next.

_''Those animatronics are impressive, aren't they?''_

_''I guess they are.''_

_''Say, have you heard about Freddy's?''_

''Thank you for letting me know, Bran,'' Connor muttered as he remembered the conversation with his old partner. Until then, he never knew what happened at the restaurant, although he did hear some of the more twisted rumors. He was grateful that his friend told him about it, even if the former wasn't aware of what was going through Connor's mind at that time. ''It was quite insightful.''

**xXx**

Sam had her head leaned against the table, her eyes closed. Springtrap figured that she was quite tired and wondered whether he should let her get a few minutes of rest, or just wake her up now and convince her to go home. He decided to leave her be, at least for now.

He went towards the employee area, taking a brief look at each room, roaming aimlessly through the restaurant. He didn't know what he was searching for, but he just wanted to take another look at the place. However, his mind kept coming back to the hidden room.

_I was an idiot._

Sometimes, he just felt that a different person made the choices for him, especially now that he was looking back on what he had done before his final death. He could still hear the echo of his own mad laughter as he stood up, facing the spirits of the children. Only a second later, there was a snap, with metal pieces and wires piercing his skin, cutting through his organs and leaving him in a pool of blood. Springtrap sighed, closing his eyes and leaning against the wall as he tried to gather his thoughts.

_This is going to haunt me forever, but I brought it on myself, didn't I? I wanted this to happen._

His opened his eyes, his eyes glowing in a soft purple as he remembered everything that he was told, everything that he had done. He knew that, even though he seemed to have changed in a way from his old self, he was still the same man as he was before his death. He still refused to back down, to give up and finally accept his fate. However, there was one key difference, something that had torn him inside for quite a while.

Springtrap peeked into the main area, noticing that Sam was still asleep. He walked over to her crouching next to her. She looked quite peaceful, despite the stressful events. Sometimes, he was amazed by her resolution to stand her ground and speak her mind, all because she wanted a friend she could trust and because of her desire to help him, regardless of what people told her. The glow in Springtrap's eyes grew stronger.

_There is a reason why I keep coming back, and now I have a reason to stay._


	25. The Big Bad Wolf

**Night 24**

**The Big Bad Wolf**

_''Your blood's curdling and heart skips a beat, the nightmare awaits in the shadows. And I could swear I just heard a shriek, is there something I don't know? Cameras show you it's nearly the end, leave remaining hope for salvation. Your screams and struggles will not suspend, the torment and pain are the only redemption.''_

_– **This Game Cannot Be Beaten** by Sayonara Maxwell, Cover by Mia & Rissy_

**xXxXxXx**

The figure in the darkness observed Sam, his eyes glowing brightly. He tilted his head, having stood there for a while, as if unsure whether to approach her or not. Finally, he got closer, crouching next to her. Sam seemed to be deep asleep, unaware of his presence.

Springtrap sighed, simply glad that she didn't have any nightmares. He was worried about her, considering what she went through this night and the past days. After they went back home, he asked her whether she was feeling troubled about anything, but she simply shrugged it off. She looked rather content, with Springtrap feeling disturbed about her behavior. After all, it wasn't the first time she had faked a smile.

He put the blanket that Sam shook off, causing it to fall on the floor, back on her and gently stroke her hair, wondering whether she knew, despite being asleep, that he was here, watching over her. He then stood up and left, sneaking back into his room and waiting in silence, as he feared that Emma might've heard him. Even if she was tolerant of his presence, he didn't want to risk her wrath. He had wondered whether they should tell Emma what they had experienced, but decided to leave this decision to Sam.

He leaned against the door, thinking about the night and what Sam told him. Somehow, he was reliving his memories in the form of hallucinations, the whole time unsure about how or why that happened… and now, Sam could see them too. He didn't fully understand what was going on or what those hallucinations were, but he had a few theories, the main focus being his conversation with Henry.

Even though there was no way to prove it nor was it confirmed, he did believe that the person he was talking to was indeed Henry. His old partner had returned for a brief time to have a conversation with him in order to assess the situation, probably curious about William's current interests and plans. So far, it didn't seem that Henry felt that it was necessary to return, probably wanting William to figure things out on his own.

_Honestly, Henry, it wouldn't hurt if you returned once more._

Springtrap thought back to his other hallucinations, which he figured to be a mix of memories and reality that had been twisted to fit those memories. So far, he knew that those hallucinations were partially manipulated by that vengeful spirit, but his own mind played a key part in the manifestation of those hallucinations. Whenever he felt desperate, frightened, anxious or concerned, he would see the static appearing in front of his eyes, knowing that another hallucination would follow soon. How bad the hallucination would be depended on his own state of mind.

_Still, how is it possible for Sam to see any of it?_

It had to be due to her experience with the remnant, there was no other way to explain it. Not only did she start to hear the spirit of the child, but she could also see what he saw during those hallucinations. Still, the problem here was that those hallucination's weren't supposed to be real. They were supposed to be only in his head.

_Why is this all so complicated?_

He shook his head, feeling frustrated. What he experienced couldn't even be called hallucinations, but were rather memories. That kid was able to twist them the way they wanted, using his own fears against him and during that period, he was unaware of what was really going on around him. This made him quite dangerous for anyone nearby, as he would act out on those memories. Basically, he would lose himself, lose his sense of reality, and wouldn't wake up until something happened or Sam called him.

That was what he had feared the most, that he would lose himself and lash out at Sam, not knowing what he was actually doing. Or even worse, he was well aware of what he was doing, and he wanted to carry on with his plans, not caring about the people around him. Springtrap felt chills going down his spine as he thought about the latter.

_I can't let that happen._

Then, there was the way those nightmarish hallucinations had presented themselves. One of them involved him being aware of his surroundings, but getting cornered by shadow-like children. Those children weren't spirits, but the way they approached him was still unnerving. If Springtrap had to find a way to describe them, the only word that came to his mind was ''demonic''. He thought about it, then went to the bed where he left some of Sam's books and took the urban legend scrapbook she had made. As he opened a specific page, he was greeted with an image of several Black-Eyed Children, with Sam's notes being written next to it.

_That's what they were reminding me of. Still, those entities I saw were shadow-like creatures taking the shape of children._

That thought didn't comfort him. However, it did make him realize how little he had investigated the supernatural part of his current situation. Despite what he had discovered, he always researched the scientific aspect of attaching a soul to an animatronic, never thinking about the supernatural aspect of his experiments. Now, he was forced to face what he had been ignoring for too long.

_Even if I don't sleep, I still have nightmares._

The desire to contact Henry returned, now stronger. William was quite sure that Henry knew something about his current situation and probably had some answers. Still, he had no idea how talk to his old partner.

Springtrap sighed as he sat down on the couch. After what he had been through, he felt a little paranoid about how quiet the night was. He dreaded the moment that kid appeared again and continued torturing him.

_Calm down. You can't allow yourself to have another mental breakdown._

He was determined to not let himself get affected by his paranoia and fear. Honestly, all he wanted was something he had decided since he became friends with Sam; he wanted to keep her happy. He was willing to do anything to ensure that she'd keep on smiling, even if it resulted in his own demise. He didn't care what would happen to him, as Sam was more important.

His ears drooped, his eyes glowing in a soft purple. He felt quite crestfallen.

_Henry, I just want her to be happy. I hoped that you, out of all people, would understand that desire._

**xXx**

The next morning, Springtrap was sitting at the kitchen table, his head leaned against it, glancing from Sam, who was eating breakfast, to Emma, who was reading something on her phone. Sam was quiet, looking rather absent-minded. It didn't help that at one point she missed the bowl of cereal, looking quite flustered when she attempted to eat out of an empty spoon. She glanced at Springtrap, who clearly had noticed it, but he didn't chuckle as she expected that he would. Instead, he looked worried. She gave him a tired look and resumed with her breakfast. Emma glanced at the two, looking rather suspicious.

''Okay, what did you two do this time?'' she asked them, with Springtrap and Sam looking back at her, then glancing at each other, not really willing to talk. ''Why are you so quiet?''

''Nothing different from the usual had happened,'' Sam replied.

''Right,'' Springtrap added. Emma frowned, not buying it.

''I see,'' she muttered. ''So, do you need the car today?''

''No,'' Sam replied in a rather indifferent tone, having finished with her breakfast and placing the bowl in the dishwasher. ''I don't need it.''

She then went upstairs, with Emma having an expression that was a mix of surprise and confusion. Springtrap was also surprised, albeit it was more because of Sam's indifference. He stood up, about to follow her, when he was stopped by Emma.

''Say, Afton, do you have any idea why she doesn't need the car? I mean, she begged me yesterday to borrow it,'' Emma asked.

''I don't know,'' Springtrap replied. Emma rose an eyebrow, crossing her arms.

''Is it because you both have no idea what you'll do today or because Sam didn't tell you what she's planning to do today?'' she asked. Springtrap stared at her for a moment.

''Both.''

He actually didn't really think about what Sam planned for today, as he had other things on mind. Emma gave him a curious look, seemingly showing pity for him, but Springtrap didn't believe that that was the case. After all, why should she feel sorry for him?

''I know that you both are hiding something from me. You two seemed to have quite a rough night, especially you Afton,'' Emma said. Springtrap shrugged, giving her a look of guilt. ''What happened?''

''I hoped that I'd cheer Sam up by bringing her to Freddy's, and it worked for a while, but then I ended up suffering from another hallucination, and now she's worried about me. She didn't say anything, but there's now denying that she isn't thinking about what occurred the past night,'' Springtrap explained.

''So, that's why you two look so downcast today,'' Emma said. ''Although, wouldn't Sam usually talk to you when she's worried about something?''

''She did, and she seemed to be in good spirits when we went back home, but I still felt that there was something bothering her. She just had that kind of expression where she seemed to be faking how she felt. I guess she didn't want me to get worried,'' Springtrap explained. He noticed the look of concern on Emma's expression. ''Emma, was Sam always like this?''

''Unfortunately, yes,'' Emma replied. ''Sam has a tendency to convince herself that whatever problem she's dealing with isn't important enough to be worth sharing. She would just bottle up her emotions because she doesn't want to hurt other people's feelings.''

''That's something I have noticed,'' Springtrap said.

''I have tried to talk to her about it, but she would just pretend that the conversation helped her and that she felt better even thought it was clear that it didn't. She would just shut herself into her room and refuse to come out. I even heard her crying after one of those conversations,'' Emma said, looking anxious. ''Honestly, I'm really glad that she actually does go out and is genuinely happy for once, but I'm afraid that she might relapse and become depressed again.''

''I'm not going to let that happen,'' Springtrap replied.

''I have no doubt about that,'' Emma said, with Springtrap feeling confident. Despite being at odds, they both could agree on the fact that they both just wanted Sam to be happy.

The two suddenly heard steps, with Sam coming down and giving Springtrap an annoyed look. The latter looked startled when she grabbed his hand.

''Hey, what are you waiting for? Com'n!'' she said, pulling him upstairs. She then glanced at Emma. ''Bye, Mum!''

''Bye, sweetie,'' Emma replied, a small smile on her expression, waving a little.

As he followed Sam upstairs, Springtrap glanced at Emma, who shrugged. She seemed to have decided to let him deal with this issue, with Springtrap feeling glad about it. He wanted to talk to Sam about what happened, hoping to figure out what was wrong. Not to mention, while he did appreciate Sam trusting him, he feared that she would keep on trusting him even after he hurt her and he needed to find a way to get her to think more about the consequences of her decisions.

Once they entered her room, Sam turned her laptop towards Springtrap, pointing at an article she had found online.

''Look at this,'' she said. Springtrap glanced at the article, reading it. He frowned when he realized what the content was about.

''So, Ricky's has finally decided to upgrade their security in order to avoid more accidents,'' he said. ''I guess that means that they finally found someone to act as the night guard. It took them long enough.''

''Honestly, I think we should go to Ricky's regardless,'' Sam said. ''I mean, we should see whether there's anything that Connor had done with the animatronics.''

''So, that's what you wanted to do today,'' Springtrap said. ''But, how are you planning to do that? We cannot exactly go at night since they have a night guard now.''

''Well, I have an idea, but you're not going to like it,'' Sam said, looking a little flustered. Springtrap frowned. He knew her well enough to know that the look she gave him meant bad news. He sighed.

''What is it?'' he asked.

''Considering how Connor is interested in me, I thought that maybe I could act as a bait,'' Sam said.

''No, absolutely not!'' Springtrap replied sternly. ''You saw what happened to that girl! Do you really think I want to see you being dismembered by that lunatic?!''

''I know, but I don't think that Connor would want to murder me,'' Sam replied. ''I think he was more curious about my interest in the animatronics and probably wanted to know what was up with that.''

''Maybe, but didn't you provoke him the last time you were there? After all, we had already established that, if someone tells him what he doesn't want to hear, they'll get murdered,'' Springtrap pointed out. ''Honestly, I don't want you anywhere near him.''

''May I remind you that we won't figure anything out unless we confront Connor directly?'' Sam replied. ''All we have now are speculations and theories.''

''Then let me be the one to confront him. He cannot hurt me,'' Springtrap told her.

''No, I don't want you to confront Connor yet,'' Sam replied firmly.

''Sam, I'm pretty sure that he is aware of my existence…'' Springtrap said, only to get interrupted by her.

''I know that, but I doubt that he knows who you really are,'' Sam said. ''For now, I still want to act as if I don't know anything about what is going on. I want to know what he is planning to do.''

''Fine, but I will keep an eye on you,'' Springtrap said, still reluctant about this whole idea. ''If Connor tries to hurt you, rest assured, he's done for.''

''Okay,'' Sam said, knowing well that, even if Springtrap said that he wasn't going to murder anyone anymore, this promise didn't involve people who'd hurt her. She then grinned mischievously. ''You know, it is a bit ironical that the animatronics wanted to protect other children, yet failed, killing innocent people instead. However, their murderer has the same desire, but for different reasons, and is actually more successful than them.''

''I am aware of the irony,'' Springtrap muttered, looking slightly exasperated. ''But, I don't think that I'm more successful than them. I mean, I got you almost killed on multiple occasions.''

''I know, but…''

''Sam, the way you reacted last night… It was completely foolish of you to just blindly trust me,'' Springtrap cut her off. ''You should've tried to get away from me.''

''Would that have really changed anything? If I had fought back, would you really have let me go?'' Sam asked, with Springtrap looking flustered. He lowered his head.

''I-I don't know.'' He shook his head. ''But, still, you cannot always trust me.''

''Then, what else am I supposed to do?!'' Sam rose her voice suddenly, yelling at him. She then kept her mouth shut. ''I'm sorry, I didn't mean that…''

''It doesn't matter. There's nothing you have to apologize for,'' Springtrap replied.

''Honestly, I don't want to lose you as my friend,'' Sam admitted. She sat down on her bed, with Springtrap sitting next to her.

''Is that why you insist so much on trusting and forgiving me for my mistakes?'' Springtrap asked. Sam nodded. Springtrap thought back to her behavior from the previous night, as well as his conversation with Emma. He frowned. ''Still, you shouldn't be putting yourself in harm's way.''

''Well, you sneaked up on me,'' Sam pointed out.

''I meant that you should've left the moment you saw me behaving weirdly,'' Springtrap said dryly.

''I simply couldn't...'' Sam muttered, a look of guilt on her expression. It seemed that she wanted to add something, but she kept quiet. She then took a deep breath, continuing in a normal tone, ''Anyways, about Ricky's…''

''Sam, please stop with that,'' Springtrap cut her off, with Sam giving him a confused look. ''I know that there's something you wanted to tell me. Hell, even last night, when we went back home, you acted as if nothing important happened. When I asked you about it, you just smiled and told me that everything was fine. However, I know that there was something bothering you. Not to mention the way you reacted when I told you what my hallucination was about…''

''Well, it doesn't matter anymore. Besides, I told you my opinion on that,'' Sam replied, her tone a little colder than she intended. She noticed Springtrap's questioning expression, then lowered her head.

''Sam, what's wrong? Why are you like this? I mean, this isn't the first time you tried to hide how you felt from me and, according to Emma, this kind of behavior used to be much worse,'' Springtrap said. ''Bottling up your emotions isn't healthy for you and neither is pretending that the issues you're dealing with aren't important.''

''I don't know,'' Sam said in a quiet tone, her eyes tearing. ''I don't like bothering people and I don't want to be a burden, but in this case I really want to do something to improve myself. However, somehow, it ends like this…''

''Why do you even think that you're a burden?'' Springtrap asked.

''It's… It's because…'' Sam took a deep breath, feeling as if she was choking on something. A tear flew down her cheek. ''I-It's…''

''Sam…'' Springtrap felt guilty for making her cry. He wanted to comfort her, but suddenly shook her head, wiping her tears away.

''You know how I snapped at that kid?'' she said, her voice still shaky. ''Don't you think that it kind of felt as if they were bullying you?''

''I'd rather call it a punishment,'' Springtrap replied in a bitter tone.

''You're getting punished and taunted for no reason!'' Sam snapped. There was a look of horror on her expression, as obviously she didn't want to yell at him. ''I'm sorry…''

''You took it personal, didn't you?'' Springtrap asked as he slowly realized what this was about. After all, wasn't he talking to a victim of bullying? Sam nodded. ''Why didn't you tell me anything?''

''I figured that I'd be better if I just ignored everything,'' Sam replied. ''However, being told that 'you're worthless and selfish' over and over again will end up affecting you after some time.''

''Sam, I understand, but you shouldn't keep those things to yourself,'' Springtrap said. ''You should've told me everything rather than just pretending that things were fine.''

''Well, you were in a worse state than I was,'' Sam pointed out.

''I know, and it's getting really annoying that my mental state is being prioritized over your own,'' Springtrap replied. ''Besides, anyone who calls you worthless or selfish is a bloody idiot. You're an amazing person.''

''Yeah,'' Sam muttered in a bitter tone. ''I'm also amazingly reckless, throwing caution out the window.''

''I didn't mean that,'' Springtrap told her, a little alarmed.

''Then, being a mess describes me better,'' Sam said, cutting Springtrap off when he attempted to protest. ''I don't want neither you nor Mum to deal with my issues as I want to prove to myself that I can handle them, which also causes me to bottle up my feelings. Not only that, but I also don't want to burden people with my problems, as I fear that I'm just overthinking things. I had pretty much ghosted all my former friends because of all that bullying, having to deal with loneliness for months. Honestly, when we became friends, I was really happy and, as you said, I pretty much continued to forgive you all of your mistakes because I didn't want to lose you. What happened last night, with me trusting you despite the fact that you were close to killing me, I think it's because I reached my breaking point. I simply refuse to let go of you, logic and sanity be damned. I don't care what I have to do to keep you here, I will.''

Springtrap was shocked. He wasn't aware that her mental and emotional state deteriorated so much, to the point of obsession. He thought that his own desire to stay here was already bad enough.

_There is a reason why I keep coming back, and now I have a reason to stay._

Maybe to someone this would sound quite sweet and comforting, but he knew that that thought had a more sinister meaning. He refused to leave even though he knew that he could kill her if he lost himself again, after all. This whole relationship was incredibly unhealthy, but none of them wanted to address the issue. For Sam, it was because she didn't want to be lonely anymore. For Springtrap, it was because he didn't want to tell her to not get too attached to him, as he might be forced to leave eventually, which would only worsen her current state of mind.

''You aren't the only one who feels like this. After all, didn't I refuse to leave despite fearing for your safety?'' Springtrap told her, with Sam giving her an exhausted look, a mix of guilt and misery on her expression. ''I think we need a different approach to this.''

''What do you mean?'' Sam asked, a little confused.

''It is more than obvious than something is wrong and we had pretty much established what it is,'' Springtrap explained. ''So, what is it that you want from me? What would make you feel happy without having to constantly suffer through waves of depression, fear and anxiety?''

''I just want you to stay,'' Sam admitted. ''That's all.''

''I'm staying, but I will try to find a way to make sure you won't have to suffer because of that,'' Springtrap said. ''However, in return, I want you to be more honest with me. I want to to stop pretending that your issues aren't important. I'm here to help you deal with them, just as you want to help me deal with my issues. I have no problem whatsoever with listening to whatever is bothering you, even if you think it is insignificant. Understood?''

''Yeah, I did,'' Sam replied, taking a deep breath. It was strange, but she did feel a little lighter. She then gave him a genuine mischievous smile. ''So, does this still mean that you're willing to keep an eye on me while I go confront Connor?''

''Do I have a choice at this point?'' Springtrap asked sarcastically. Still, he was glad that she was back to her cheerful self. He wanted to make things easier for her and was determined to improve their relationship, making it as less stressful as possible for both of them.

Sam hugged him, burying her head into his chest and relaxing. Springtrap gently stroked her head in a calming manner, just as happy as she was. However, he knew that there was still one more issue he needed to deal with, one that had nothing to do with Connor.

**xXx**

It was crowded as usual at Ricky's, although for Sam, the place could've been devoid of people and it wouldn't make a difference to her. She was looking at the animatronics, having already noticed that Ricky was gone. She knew that, the moment Connor sees her, he'll probably approach her. However, he was nowhere in sight.

_How do you miss the Big Bad Wolf? Come to think about it, where's Springtrap?_

Apparently, telling her that he would keep an eye on her didn't mean that he would also stay in her line of vision. Sam shrugged and decided to wander around a bit, thinking about her and Springtrap's conversation from earlier. She felt quite awkward after having told him how she felt, but was glad that he wanted to improve their current situation. They both had acknowledged that they made some kind of mistake and that they both needed to make some changes. All in all, she was relieved that she decided to tell him how she felt.

_Well, you spent a lot of time with toxic people who made you feel like an outcast. Is it really that surprising that you would have trouble figuring out how functioning in a normal friendship? Besides, isn't the first step to self-healing admitting that there is actually a problem?_

While she did feel confident, there was still that voice in her head. It was the voice of fear, asking her what would happen if she didn't manage to improve. What would happen if she failed?

_Those kinds of thoughts caused me trouble in the first place. Instead of fearing failure, I should just use whatever I have learned from my mistakes to do something constructive with my life. Although, searching for a guy who is a threat to me isn't really constructive…_

She sighed, knowing well this wasn't her first, nor will it be her last stupid idea.

**xXx**

Springtrap kept an eye on Sam, who was looking around for Connor, staying close to the stage. She looked a little lost, sighing and then resumed her search with a more confident expression. Sometimes, he had to wonder just where she found the willpower to continue with her life, no matter how miserable she felt.

''Hey, Mr. Bunny!''

Springtrap was startled when he heard someone addressing him and turned to the person, only to realize it were those twins he had met a while ago. He was a little surprised about how happy they were to see him.

''Hello,'' he said, crouching down. ''How are you doing?''

''We were actually searching for you all over the place,'' Kathy said.

''We even asked people whether they knew where you are, but nobody had any idea what we were talking about,'' Kyle added.

Springtrap felt a little sorry for them, as he didn't expect that the two would get interested so much in the bunny animatronic who helped them a while ago. He knew that he couldn't really tell them the truth, but looking at their eager expressions, he got an idea.

''I apologize for the absence, but there is a reason why you haven't seen me here,'' Springtrap told the two. ''Can you keep a secret?''

Kathy and Kyle's eyes lit up and they looked quite excited about the idea of being trusted with an important secret. They nodded.

''Yeah, sure!''

''What is it?''

''The reason why you won't see me here is because I'm not a member of Ricky's, but I come from a place named Freddy Fazbear's Pizza,'' Springtrap told them, with the two looking confused. ''It's a restaurant similar to Ricky's, but it isn't open yet.''

''Why are you here then?'' Kathy asked.

''Because I'm helping out a friend,'' Springtrap replied. He then grinned. ''Say, would you be interested in visiting Freddy's once it opens?''

''Sure!'' Kyle said.

''It sounds interesting,'' Kathy added. ''When is it going to open?''

''I'm not sure, but as much as I know, it is supposed to open this summer,'' Springtrap told them.

''Okay, we'll ask our parents,'' Kathy said. ''You're going to be there, right?''

''I probably will,'' Springtrap replied. To be honest, there was something he planned to do at Freddy's once the place opened again. ''You should go now, I still have something to do, okay?''

He stood up, watching the twins nodding and leaving, then glanced at where Sam was. He frowned, his eyes flaring purple when he saw that it wasn't the wolf animatronic who had approached her, but the man who used to wear it.

**xXx**

Sam had noticed Ricky coming towards her, but she tried to ignore him, feigning interest in the other animatronics that were on the stage. However, she felt that there was something strange about Ricky. She glanced back at the animatronic, noticing how mechanical his steps were. She realized that there wasn't an actor inside the costume.

Sam looked frantically around, realizing that she now had no idea where exactly Connor was. She figured that the best thing to do would be to get Springtrap and leave, but just as she tried to get away, she saw a man wearing an uniform and an ear piece suddenly approaching her. Nobody really payed attention to him as they were more interested in Ricky, who continued to entertain the crowd. Sam realized that she had got herself cornered in this small area next to the stage.

''Oh, hello,'' Connor greeted her, with Sam looking startled. ''Is there anything you need?''

''Eh, no. I was just looking at the animatronics,'' Sam replied.

''They're incredible, aren't they?'' Connor said.

''Well, I have my own favorites…'' Sam said. As much as she was aware of, Connor didn't know that she knew that he was Ricky's actor.

''Oh, really? Well, my favorite is Ricky,'' Connor told her. ''You see, I'm the technician responsible for them.''

''Is it hard to maintain an animatronic?'' Sam asked, trying to make some small talk.

''For me, it isn't, but what does frustrate me is that there aren't more people who appreciate them,'' Connor replied.

''Well, I do appreciate them,'' Sam said, with Connor giving her a curious look.

''The only problem is that you are more interested in those animatronics from Freddy's,'' he said, frowning and stepping closer. Sam backed away, staring at him in surprise. Connor smiled. ''I forgot to add that I'm also Ricky. I assume you didn't expect me to approach you without my costume.''

''No…'' Sam muttered, backing away when Connor took another step towards her. Connor then looked away from her, glancing at the crowd, as if searching for someone.

''Say, have you seen a strange bunny animatronic?'' he asked, looking back at her.

''The only bunny animatronic I know about is Bonnie,'' Sam replied, shrugging and trying to keep calm. She smiled awkwardly. ''But, Freddy's hasn't opened yet so… maybe it's the Bunny Man?''

Connor glared at her, with Sam giving him a nervous look.

''I doubt that,'' Connor replied. ''Anyways, since you're interested in the animatronics, maybe you'd want me to show you how they function.''

''Well, I…'' Sam's eyes widened as he stepped towards her again. Connor then glanced back at the crowd, grinning this time and turning back to her.

''You know, you shouldn't roam through this place at night, as bad things could happen. Those animatronics don't like intruders,'' he said. Sam stared at him in horror. ''As I said, I know the animatronics very well and I do notice when a part goes missing.''

''I have no idea what you're talking about,'' Sam replied, frowning.

''Don't worry, I won't tell anyone as long as you tell me what you know about this golden-green bunny animatronic,'' Connor told her. ''After all, he's watching you.''

''Leave me alone!'' Sam yelled at him, pushing him away as she ran past him. She did briefly turn back to him, noticing Connor looking at her with a smile on his expression. She shuddered, quickly leaving.

Connor looked back at where he saw the bunny animatronic, noticing that he was gone again. However, the murderous glare the animatronic was giving him was enough for him to confirm that the girl he was talking to was quite important to him.

**xXx**

''Sam, are you okay? Did he hurt you?''

Springtrap had found Sam outside in the back alley, with her shaking and looking freaked out. He had quickly approached her, noticing the look of relief on her expression as she saw him.

''No, he didn't hurt me, but…'' Sam replied, then shook her head. ''Let's just get away from here.''

''What happened?'' Springtrap asked as he followed her. He felt a mix of anger and worry, torn between going back to deal with Connor and staying with Sam.

''He knows,'' Sam said, with Springtrap giving her a stunned look. ''He is aware that we were at Ricky's and took that device from Raven. I don't think that he knows that we were also at the factory, but I do believe he'll eventually figure that out as well. Also, he asked me about you.''

''What did you tell him?'' Springtrap asked.

''I pretended I didn't know anything, but that didn't convince him,'' Sam replied, shuddering. ''He wasn't there to hurt me. He just wanted to confirm what he had already suspected. I was such an idiot! We shouldn't have went there.''

She felt Springtrap's hand on her shoulder, turning to him and noticing the comforting look on his expression.

''Sam, don't blame yourself for what had happened,'' he told her. ''I believe that he would've found out about this sooner or later. No matter what you did, you couldn't prevent it.''

''Still, you were right. This was a stupid idea,'' Sam said, lowering her head. She gave him a questioning look when he crouched down, grinning at her.

''Actually, I don't think it was,'' Springtrap replied. ''After all, wasn't the point of this trying to find out more about what he knows? You may have unintentionally gave him a few answers, but we also got some information.''

''Now that I think about it, you're right,'' Sam said. ''But, I don't think I will go back there, be it after hours or not.''

''That's a smart decision,'' Springtrap replied, then frowned. ''Although, I wouldn't mind going after him when no one's around.''

''Let's just go home,'' Sam told him, shaking her head. ''I have enough of Ricky's and their resident Big Bad Wolf.''

''If you say so…'' Springtrap stood up, following her. ''Speaking of the Big Bad Wolf, I assume you see yourself as Red Riding Hood then. So, what does that make me, the Hunter?''

''No, you're just another Wolf,'' Sam replied, with Springtrap giving her a confused look. ''Although, you're more trustworthy.''

''I guess you're right,'' Springtrap said, then frowned.

_Although, this doesn't really make me a better person, does it?_


	26. Circus Of The Dead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Luly903: Thank you for your review! I'm really glad that you love my story and I'll try to keep it up like this. If you have any further comments, I'll be happy to hear them. Rest assured I plan on expanding William's relationship with Henry and the rest of his family.

**Night 25**

**Circus Of The Dead**

_''The show must go on! Hit the lights, we're going till there's no pulse left; This masquerade of souls needs a victim, won't you be our hopeless guest? But if it helps, you can pretend, it's make believe inside your head. This nightmare's as real as it gets in the circus of the, in the circus of the, in the circus of the dead!''_

_– **Circus Of The Dead** by TryHardNinja_

**xXxXxXx**

Springtrap tilted his head, surprised that the person in the kitchen wasn't Emma, but Sam. It was early in the morning and she was preparing some sandwiches.

''Hello, you're up early,'' he told her. Sam leaned against the counter.

''Well, let's just say that it's going to be a long day,'' Sam replied, smiling. Springtrap frowned, having a bad feeling about this. A few minutes later, Emma had joined them, seemingly just as surprised as Springtrap was when she saw Sam at the kitchen counter.

''Hi, Mum! May I borrow the car today?'' Sam asked in a cheerful voice. Emma turned to Springtrap, rising an eyebrow, with him being a little confused. She then turned to Sam.

''Sorry, but no. I need it today,'' Emma replied. Sam pouted.

''Seriously?''

''Well, I asked you yesterday and you didn't want it.''

''Yeah, because I didn't need it yesterday. However, I need it today,'' Sam replied. Emma shook her head, clearly not wanting to borrow the car. ''Okay, then. Could you drive us there?''

''What?'' Both Emma and Springtrap were confused. Springtrap actually didn't know what Sam had planned for today, having decided to go with whatever she wanted to do, as usual.

''That would work for everyone,'' Sam added.

''Well, if you say so…'' Emma muttered.

''Great!'' Sam grinned, leaving the finished sandwiches on the kitchen counter and going upstairs. ''I'll be back soon.''

Emma rose an eyebrow, a little surprised by how cheerful her daughter today was, especially in comparison to how she behaved yesterday. She glanced at Springtrap, who gave her a curious look.

''I assume you two had a talk,'' she said.

''We have figured out what the problem was,'' Springtrap explained. ''Rest assured, she feels better now.''

''I'm glad about that,'' Emma said, smiling and crossing her arms. ''You've done a good job, Afton.''

''Is that it? No snide remarks?'' Springtrap asked, a little confused.

''Do you want me to make a comment?'' Emma asked. Springtrap shook his head frantically. ''I thought so.''

She then took the ingredients Sam used to make her sandwiches and made herself one. Sam joined them a minute later, holding her backpack and stuffing the sandwiches into it.

''So, where are you going?'' Emma asked the two, mostly looking at Sam.

''I want to go back to the Sister Location,'' Sam said. Both Emma and Springtrap gave her a confused look, until Springtrap realized what Sam meant.

''Circus Baby's Entertainment and Rental, right?'' he said, with Sam nodding. Emma frowned, giving them an irritated look.

''You're going back to the place where you got injured so badly you had to be sent to the hospital?'' she said. ''I thought you had learned something from your experience.''

''Yeah, I did,'' Sam replied. ''I won't touch stuff that is probably too dangerous for me to handle. Can we go now?''

Emma rolled her eyes, with Sam giving her a sheepish smile. She glanced at Springtrap, giving him a death glare. Springtrap was confused about why Emma was glaring at him, giving her a nervous look.

''Fine, but I don't want to have you drive to the hospital again. Stay out of trouble,'' Emma told Sam. She then turned to Springtrap. ''You make sure she stays out of trouble.''

''Consider it done,'' Springtrap replied. Emma rubbed her temple, sighing.

''I guess at least I'll know where you two went,'' she added. Sam and Springtrap just exchanged glances.

**xXx**

''So, this is it? It doesn't really look impressive,'' Emma said nonchalantly as she parked in the lot at Circus Baby's Entertainment and Rental. She noticed Springtrap's annoyed look when she looked at the rearview mirror.

''Maybe it's because it hasn't been used for a long time,'' Springtrap replied dryly. ''Besides, the main part of this location is underground.''

''I won't even ask you why,'' Emma said. ''In any case, Sam, give me call when you want me to pick you up.''

''Okay, see you later!'' Sam replied, getting out of the car along with Springtrap. The two watched Emma leave before finally going inside.

''Do you have anything particular in mind for today?'' Springtrap asked Sam as they entered the location, going towards the elevator.

''Well, perhaps we could clean up this place a little,'' Sam suggested. Springtrap tilted his head, looking at her, then nodded.

''I guess we should make sure that more people don't come into contact with all the stuff that is lying around here,'' he said. ''Especially since they wouldn't know what that stuff is.''

Sam smiled, stepping into the elevator. Springtrap followed her, glad to see her smiling, but also thinking about their plans for today. If there was anything he needed to deal with, it was the remnant. He knew he couldn't let anyone else get into contact with it, whether accidentally or them wanting to use it. Not to mention, this was his personal discovery, and he wasn't really willing to share it with anyone.

''Anyways, Will, considering you're more familiar with this place, you should be in charge,'' Sam said as they waited for the elevator to reach the bunker-like area where the animatronics used to stay. Springtrap gave her a curious look, with Sam shrugging. ''I mean, just tell me what I should stay away from or what I shouldn't handle.''

''How am I supposed to know you will listen to me and not wander away?'' Springtrap asked.

''Don't worry, I have learned my lesson,'' Sam replied, then hit herself softly on the head, winked, and stuck her tongue out, adding while smiling, ''I'll do my best not to be one of those people who try to pay attention to something, then go 'Ooh, shiny!' and get distracted.''

''Hopefully, you won't,'' Springtrap said, a little sarcastic. The elevator opened, with the two exiting it and Springtrap showing Sam the door hidden behind it. ''Anyways, I want you to pick up all the suits that were left by the animatronics when they decided to use their endoskeletons to form Ennard and put them in one place.''

''Okay,'' Sam replied as they entered the Funtime Auditorium. Sam went over to the private room to leave her backpack there, while Springtrap turned the power on. The lights flickered, illuminating the rooms. He then went straight to the room with the scooper, finding it exactly how he left it.

The scooper was still dismantled, lying on the floor. He picked up the excavating arm that was attached to the injector and ripped the injector out, with the cable that would transfer the remnant hanging out of it, still attached to the reservoir. He then looked at the reservoir, a little hesitant about his next move.

He knew that he had to destroy whatever remained of the remnant. He couldn't let someone like Connor get their hands on it, even if they had no idea what it is. However, a part of him wanted to tear the scooper apart and take the reservoir with the remnant, hiding it somewhere or taking it with him in case he would need it. It wasn't as if he wanted to continue with his experiments, but still, there was a lot he didn't understand about the remnant and he felt that, perhaps, he could at least use this sample for research purposes.

With this in mind, Springtrap suddenly found himself reaching for the reservoir, only to suddenly shake his head, as if waking up from a trance-like state. He stepped back, reluctant, only to frown and reach for the scooper. He then opened the reservoir, looking at the container with the remnant. Next to it was an built-in device that would not only show the temperature, but also prevent the container from overheating. His eyes flared purple as he took it out and turned the heating on. He then placed it on the ground and stood up, observing it as the temperature started to slowly rise.

_Was this really the right decision?_

He knew that he could still save the container as the temperature hadn't reached its critical point yet. It would take a while for that to happen and even then, it would take a while for the remnant to completely break down and become unusable. He flexed his fingers, itching to grab that container, but didn't. He just stared at it blankly, not even seeing the container anymore, but flames suddenly erupting from the entire area.

He stood calmly, remembering the fire that had consumed him. He never thought that his arrogance would cost him so much. He believed that he could escape any trap, but this time, it was Henry who was always one step ahead of him. Not only had he constructed an inescapable maze, but he also tried to lure his William into it by taking advantage of his greatest flaw – bloodthirst. He succeeded.

Willliam remembered that one of his thoughts, as he walked through the maze, was that Henry was planning to only destroy the animatronics. However, when he heard Henry's message during the fire, he knew that Henry had been planning his own death all along. He decided to keep on living long enough to take William down with him. If he hadn't been too occupied with the fire, William would've commended him on his acceptance of death.

The container with the remnant was heating up, having reached the temperature necessary for the substance to be malleable. However, Springtrap didn't touch it. The desire to take it was still there, but it was waning. He did feel a little weird about it, as he was basically destroying something he was working on for a long time.

 _But, this is for the best, isn't it?_ He snorted. _Ironically, I'm basically finishing what Henry had in mind. Who would've thought I'd ever find myself in this situation?_

Springtrap sighed, unsure how to feel about this.

''It's strange, isn't it?'' He turned around, only to see Sam joining him. She gave him a sympathetic look. ''You didn't look like you really wanted to destroy it.''

''I hate to admit it, but you're right,'' Springtrap replied. He glanced at the container, noticing that it was close to overheating. He could still take it. ''Still, this is necessary, isn't it?''

''It is your decision,'' Sam told him. Springtrap glanced at the container, frowning. It was overheating, with the remnant breaking down. He knew that now, it was too late for him to save anything. However, even though there was a part of him that wanted to save it, there was also a part of him that was glad that it was gone.

''I should've gotten rid of it much earlier,'' he said, looking at Sam. ''At least you wouldn't have gotten hurt.''

''Maybe, but at least I can now help you deal with that kid,'' Sam replied, noticing the gloomy look on Springtrap's expression. She knew that he appreciated her help, but he still hated the fact that he brought her into this situation. ''You know, I'm proud of you.''

''Really?'' Springtrap looked stunned. Sam nodded, smiling.

''You wouldn't have done it if you still had the same mindset you had before we met, right?'' she added.

''I probably wouldn't,'' Springtrap said in a quiet tone. He glanced back at the container, which was now filled with an useless substance that used to be remnant.

''It must've been weird to see destroying something you created,'' Sam said as she stepped right next to him, looking at the container. ''Even if the methods were more than questionable, you still put a lot of time and effort into it.''

''I guess that that's another reason why it was necessary to get rid of it,'' Springtrap replied, walking over to the container and turning the power off. All he could do about it now is to throw it away. As he looked at it, his eyes started to glow again in a soft purple. ''Although, it wouldn't help at all…''

''What do you mean?'' Sam asked, with Springtrap turning to her.

''There might be another reason why that kid wants to get rid of me, aside from trying to 'protect' you,'' he added the last part in a sarcastic tone. ''Even though the remnant is destroyed, the person who created it is still here. I know how to recreate it, and there isn't really anything preventing me from doing it again.''

''Then, why don't you?'' Sam asked, rising an eyebrow. Springtrap tilted his head, knowing exactly what she was implying.

''I don't have any interest in recreating it,'' he said. ''I… changed, I guess.''

Sam smiled, looking quite satisfied. Springtrap shared the same feeling, although there was still something that was bothering him.

''Still, they're not happy with it,'' he said. ''In their opinion, this curse that I created will end once I'm gone. As I had already said, I could just repeat the past if I wanted.''

''However, you decided not to,'' Sam noted. ''Instead, we have Connor, who is operating without relying on any of your discoveries. For all we know, he just heard the rumors about the haunted animatronics and decided to make something similar. You're not responsible for what is currently going on and I'm quite sure that it is a good thing that you're here, especially since you know better than anyone how to handle this.''

''Right, but you should explain it to that kid,'' Springtrap replied dryly. ''They probably wouldn't care about what Connor is doing as long as I'm gone.''

''I do kind of understand that mindset,'' Sam said in an apologetic tone, her arms crossed. ''After all, they only had to deal with you, while we're both stuck with Connor.''

''That, and they're fixated so much on the past that they refuse to acknowledge the present,'' Springtrap added, crossing his arms. He then went quiet, realizing that the children may not be the only ones who focus too much on the past. However, he drove that thought out of his mind. _If I had refused to change, I wouldn't be here now._

He did feel a little more confident about being here. Even if there were things that reminded him of the past, he wouldn't let it overwhelm him. He still had a good reason to continue with what he had set in his mind.

''Anyways, shall we explore the rest of this circus of dead?'' Sam asked.

''Sure,'' Springtrap said, only to register a second later what she had said. ''Circus of the dead?''

''Well, it kind of fits…'' Sam replied. ''You know, with the carnival theme…''

''I know. I was just wondering why I didn't come up with that name,'' Springtrap replied, with Sam chuckling.

Rest assured, it would be a long day.

**xXx**

Connor pinched the bridge of his nose, staring at the screen. He still had a lot of time to spare before he would go to work, which was why he decided to focus on his current project, as well as the side-project he had finally decided to continue.

He remembered the conversation he had with that girl the previous evening, and even though she had been constantly denying everything, he expression and behavior confirmed some of his theories. The fact that he saw that green-golden bunny animatronic again did help, but he was stuck trying to figure out who this bunny was, why he seemed to show so much interest in that girl and why he seemingly hated Connor so much. However, Connor had quickly figured out the answer to the last question and a partial answer to the first.

He knew that the bunny had to be an animatronic from Freddy's, as they already had a bunny animatronic named Bonnie. He had figured that this animatronic was probably a variation of Bonnie, but he didn't have much information about it. The articles he had read about Freddy's only had the blue version of the animatronic. If anything, it felt as if Fazbear Entertainment tried to erase the existence of the golden-green bunny for whatever reason they had. Still, there had to be something left.

Concerning the hateful look the bunny had given him, Connor knew it was because he made that girl uncomfortable. Obviously, she meant a lot to the animatronic and he seemed to appear only when she was also present. This was essentially the reason why he had decided to intimidate her, hoping that the animatronic would eventually show himself. However, before Connor could approach him, he had vanished again.

Connor felt a little frustrated that he couldn't get any more information about the past events. Sure, there had been another Freddy's location, but it had perished in a fire and the owner had mysteriously vanished. They didn't put his name anywhere, though, with Connor suspecting that Fazbear Entertainment was attempting to cover something up. After all, they had a long history of doing that at every location. He had read an article about a person having their frontal lobe damaged by an animatronic in 1987, but there wasn't a follow-up to this incident, except for the fact that the restaurant had closed.

Connor leaned back in his chair, looking through the window. He noticed dark clouds passing by, wondering if it would rain tonight. Now, that would ruin the show for him, as not many people would want to be outside due to the rain.

He glanced back at the laptop screen, wondering what he was missing. There had to be more articles about Freddy's, considering that those murders were quite a shocking event for a small, quiet town where hardly any crime happened. He frowned.

_Did I even cover everything? There's no information about the murderer either. No names were released, despite the fact that they had a suspect and he was supposedly charged with the murders… or was he?_

He knew that there was something he didn't know about, something that he couldn't find in old newspaper articles. He was quite frustrated about not having that information, feeling that it was incredibly crucial to his current situation.

_Was there more than just the Freddy's location?_

He remembered his conversation with Bran, that he heard how Freddy's didn't start out like this. Apparently, it was a small establishment under a different name, with several different locations, which closed one by one as more and more accidents occurred until only one remained in 1993. However, to Connor's frustration, he had forgotten what the names of those locations were.

He sighed, knowing that he didn't know at the time that he would need that information. Now, he was regretting that he didn't listen closer to his old partner.

**xXx**

Sam was looking at Funtime Freddy's torso, inspecting the hole in the chest where the speaker used to be. She was a little disappointed about the lack of mask, but considering it had been incinerated alongside the rest of Molten Freddy, nothing could be done. She did, however, find Bon-Bon, even though the hand puppet didn't work anymore.

She glanced back at Springtrap, who was putting away endoskeleton pieces into a huge box. She wasn't sure where they would place it or what they would even do with the parts, but she figured that Springtrap had some kind of plan. She tilted her head, noticing how focused he was on his work. She then smiled mischievously, grabbing the hand puppet. Springtrap, who was crouching and arranging the parts in the box to create more space, suddenly saw Bon-Bon popping up in front of him.

''So, what's the plan, Spring?'' Bon-Bon said in a high-pitched tone. Springtrap turned to Sam, who was standing next to him, holding the hand-puppet. She grinned, playing with Bon-Bon as if it were a doll. ''You look lost there.''

''I guess I am,'' Springtrap said, a little amused by Sam's attempts to cheer him up. ''Anyways, I was planning to put this at the scooper room.''

''Okay,'' Sam muttered, walking over to the box and attempting to lift it up. However, it was quite heavy and she quickly gave up on it. She noticed Springtrap glancing at her, still looking amused.

''Maybe you should leave the heavy lifting to me,'' he told her.

''Yeah, I should,'' Sam replied, with a sheepish smile on her expression. She then looked around. ''You know, it's still exciting being here.''

''Really? I thought that the word you'd be using is 'dangerous','' Springtrap replied sarcastically.

''I don't think so. I mean, the scooper is gone and what is left of the Circus Gang are just those pieces,'' Sam said as she pointed at the box.

''Okay, you have a point,'' Springtrap said as he got up and picked the box up with ease. He then took it to the private room, placing it under the desk. He went back to the Funtime Auditorium, seeing Sam placing Bon-Bon into another box. She then took out her phone, looking at it, with Springtrap realizing that they had no idea how much time had passed since they were busy checking every area for parts, taking them and storing them away. Sam then walked over to him.

''I think we should take a small pause, I'm getting hungry,'' she said, taking her backpack. Springtrap nodded, with the two walking over to the stage and sitting on it. Sam took out one of the sandwiches, unwrapped it and took a bite, glancing at Springtrap, who was staring at her. ''Do you want a bite?''

''Seriously?'' Springtrap's tone was a mix of annoyance and amusement.

''You do look hungry,'' Sam replied, a mischievous smirk on her expression. ''So, what are we going to do next? I mean, after we store the rest of the animatronic parts.''

''I am not really sure,'' Springtrap replied. ''My main focus was the remnant, and that's gone now. Honestly, we don't really have much to do here, unless you want to explore the place a little further.''

''Sure,'' Sam said, nodding. Springtrap noticed her smile vanishing and her expression turning to contemplative. ''Say, Will, about this place… What comes to your mind?''

Springtrap gave her a curious look and then looked at the Funtime Auditorium. He sighed, closing his eyes. _I guess she wants to know how I feel about this place, how I feel about what had happened._ He opened his eyes, frowning.

''I… I am not sure,'' Springtrap said. ''It feels empty, in a way.''

''You mean, just like this place?'' Sam asked, glancing at the Funtime Auditorium. Unlike the warm and colourful lights and smell of Henry's Freddy's location, even if it was fake, Circus Baby's was cold and sterile, completely devoid of life. Even the cheerful posters of Circus Baby and the Funtimes didn't help improving the creepy atmosphere.

''Exactly,'' Springtrap replied. ''After all, this location had been created for a different reason, just like Circus Baby's Pizza World. It was supposed to be a trap just as much as Henry's fake location was. Of course, you know as much as I do that it didn't work out the way it was supposed to.''

''Yeah, and it was all because of your own selfish desires,'' Sam said in a rather cold tone. Springtrap nodded, not really perturbed by the sudden change in Sam's attitude. As much as she cared about him and even defended him from that kid, he still knew that she wasn't happy about that part of his past.

''That selfish desire cost me the life of my own daughter,'' Springtrap said in a resigned tone. A flash of blood, metal, pieces of clothing and flesh appeared in his vision, with him closing his eyes, hoping it would fade away. ''I should've stayed with her.''

''What was Elizabeth like?'' Sam suddenly asked, with Springtrap giving her stunned look. He wasn't really sure whether this was a topic he wanted to talk about. His children were gone, after all, and even then, would he really be able to remember any moments with them that weren't a complete nightmare?

''Elizabeth was…'' His eyes were starting to glow in a soft purple colour as he focused on his memories of a little girl with light auburn hair, green eyes and a shy smile. ''She was a cheerful kid.''

''Really?'' Sam said, with Springtrap, strangely, feeling encouraged to talk.

_I know I said this already, but it's been really long since I had someone to talk to like this._

''To be honest, Lizzy always tried to make me proud, despite the fact that I was quite distant and neglectful towards her, Sammy and Michael,'' Springtrap added in a heavy-hearted tone. ''She would try to get my attention with any means possible, often following me around or trying to show interest in what I was doing, even if she never understood it. She was quite innocent and naive, but also quite stubborn. I found her roaming through my workshop numerous times, especially when I had started working on Circus Baby.''

''Seems like she admired you a lot,'' Sam noted. ''Even after her death.''

''Yes, and I was too much of an idiot to notice that,'' Springtrap said, sighing. He thought about when he met Elizabeth again, this time as Scrap Baby.

_''I want to make you proud, Daddy.''_

In a way, she did make him proud, but he had never acknowledged it. Now, he wished that he had never dragged her into this whole situation.

''The sweet girl she used to be had slowly vanished after her death,'' he added. ''Her state of mind had just continued to deteriorate, until only the desire to make me proud was left. At least, she's in a better place now.''

''Will?'' Sam noticed the strange look on Springtrap's expression as he glanced at her.

''I don't want you to end up like them,'' he said in a quiet tone. ''I can't let that happen.''

''I know,'' Sam said. ''That's another reason why I trust you so much.''

''Sam…'' Springtrap tried to protest, only to be cut off by Sam.

''I know that you want to tell me that you cannot be trusted, William, but whenever you attempted to hurt me, you were suffering from some kind of hallucination,'' Sam said, only to see Springtrap attempting to interrupt her. ''Also, I do not count our first encounter.''

''I wanted to point out that, when I attempted to harm you during our first meeting, I wasn't suffering from any hallucination,'' Springtrap said. ''Who says I won't hurt you again like that?''

''Well, you did,'' Sam pointed out. ''You just told me that you don't want to hurt me.''

''True, but…''

''William, I have already told you that I'm completely comfortable in your presence. I am not afraid of you, but I fear what might happen in case you lose yourself again,'' Sam interrupted him again, only to fall silent. Springtrap noticed the somber look on her expression, with her seemingly being a little lost in her thoughts. She then glanced at him, giving him a sympathetic smile. ''We're both afraid of losing each other, even though we made it clear we don't want to live in such fear.''

''You're right,'' Springtrap said. ''Besides, the times I would suffer from hallucinations often happened when I was in a state of stress, despair or fear. Keeping on worrying like this doesn't do any of us any good.'' He then frowned. ''Still, there isn't really a solution to this problem, right?''

''No, there isn't,'' Sam replied, with Springtrap giving her a questioning look. ''Yeah, I know. You expected me to be a little more optimistic, but let's be honest here – we both know that that's the truth. It would be rather easy to just pretend that there's no problem, but just pretending something doesn't exist won't make it go away. While we both did acknowledge it and even talked about what could be done, we also know that it will take a while to find any kind of solution, if there's any. Besides, I don't think that just leaving would solve the problem.''

''That's why I told you to make the decision whether I should leave or not. My main concern is your safety and if you feel threatened, I will leave. However, none of us want that to happen, which means that we're basically stuck in this situation,'' Springtrap said, sighing. He then noticed Sam smiling. ''Sam?''

''You know, when you remove the fear of abandonment or harm, the situation doesn't look that bad,'' she explained. ''I'm enjoying every moment we spend together.''

''You're not the only one who feels like this,'' Springtrap said, noticing that Sam was beaming. He felt a little annoyed for having to ruin this moment. ''However, we still have another problem to deal with. Or rather, two problems.''

''Well, we haven't heard anything from that kid and I seriously hope they'll stay quiet, because I don't want to listen to another rant about why you're supposedly a 'bad friend','' Sam said. ''Connor, on the other hand, is a different matter. I sincerely doubt that I want to know what he's going to do with those animatronics he's building.''

''Not to mention, what might happen if he figures out how to tie a soul to an animatronic,'' Springtrap said, crossing his arms. ''There's no need for another murderer to walk around in animatronic form. I'm not keen on sharing the spotlight.''

Sam chuckled, much to his delight. Sometimes, it surprised him just how easy it was to make her happy. She didn't really need any kind of over-the-top gifts, and was perfectly satisfied with just having a simple conversation with him. Still, he felt that he could do a little bit more for her.

_After all, doesn't she like exploring new places, especially if they're connected to Freddy's, or rather, my past?_

He could still remember the look she gave him when they had arrived at Fazbear's Fright, even more when he let her enter the office. Not to mention, there was also her reaction to entering Circus Baby's for the first time. He wondered how she would react to this one. He got up, noticing Sam giving him a curious look.

''You said that you wanted to explore this place,'' he said. ''There is something I'd like to show you.''

''Sure,'' Sam said, putting the rest of her sandwich into the backpack and following him to the private room. They then entered the corridor on the left side, with Sam looking around, knowing that this was where Ennard would've been stalking Mike had he actually found the private room. They then entered another hallway, which had a bunch of boxes stacked on each other.

''I think it was here,'' Springtrap said, removing the boxes. It was quite dark inside the hallway and there were pipes placed across the wall. However, there was one part of the wall that was rather clear. Sam noticed a faint line, realizing it was actually a hidden door.

Springtrap opened it, with Sam glancing inside. The corridor was quite barren, with Sam wondering where Springtrap was leading her. She had to use her the flashlight function on her smartphone to see where she was going, although it didn't take them long to arrive at their destination.

''So, what is this place?'' she asked as he opened another door.

''I'm quite sure that you will recognize it once you see it,'' Springtrap told her, stepping away from the door and letting her inside first.

Sam walked inside, only to find herself in a different corridor. However, it was quite different from the Sister Location, with the first thing that she had noticed being an old grandfather's clock. There was also furniture in the hallway and some pictures on the walls. She was stunned, turning to Springtrap, who gave her a confident look.

''This is the house with the Nightmare Animatronics, isn't it?'' she said. Springtrap grinned, his eyes flaring purple.

''Correct.''


	27. Bad Dream

**Night 26**

**Bad Dream**

_''You'll stay alive, no need to cry. Baby, please come to me, it's only a bad dream. This, son, I vow, they can't hurt you now. So, please come back to me, it's only a bad dream.''_

_– **Bad Dream** by VideoGameRapBattles ft. Trickywi_

**xXxXxXx**

''This is crazy!''

Sam pointed her smartphone, which had the flashlight turned on, down at the hallway, noticing a limp figure sitting next to a white wooden door. She glanced at Springtrap, whose eyes were glowing purple. He nodded, his arms crossed on his back, with Sam deciding to approach the quite familiar figure.

It was a huge animatronic bunny, larger than Springtrap. The bunny was blue, with tears across his body and a gap in his torso, showing the endoskeleton. His five fingers were sharp, looking like claws and his open mouth showed rows of sharp teeth. Sam recognized the animatronic as Nightmare Bonnie. She turned back to Springtrap.

''He won't jumpscare me, right?'' she asked.

''No,'' Springtrap replied. ''Believe me, these animatronics aren't active anymore,… at least, unless someone tampered with them.''

Frowning, he walked over to her, observing Sam as she examined Nightmare Bonnie. The animatronic didn't activate even after Sam started poking him. She looked quite fascinated, with Springtap feeling satisfied about his idea of showing her this place. However, it was also rather dark and he figured that Sam might accidentally trip over something. _There was a light switch somewhere, I believe._

''Wait here,'' he told her, with Sam nodding.

As he turned to search for the switch, he noticed her looking at the framed photos on the wall and on the table that was in the hallway. While those photos did show a family, Sam realized that they were actually the kind of generic photo samples you'd see at a professional photographer. In other words, they were just as fake as this house was. Suddenly, the lights started flickering and turning on. Sam saw Springtrap walking over to her, glancing at Nightmare Bonnie as he joined her.

''Are the other Nightmare Animatronics here as well?'' she asked him.

''Probably,'' Springtrap said, shrugging. ''While I've been at Circus Baby's to get some parts, I haven't been at this specific area for ages.''

''Or rather, since 1983,'' Sam said in a dry tone. Springtrap was slightly startled at first, but he then realized where this conversation would lead. He wasn't looking forward to it at all. On the other hand, he knew that he brought this upon himself. ''Say, how did you even manage to create this place? I mean, didn't someone notice a house-like area with nightmarish robots walking around?''

''Actually, it wasn't that hard. I just noted that I'd need a few extra room for storage, or rather, a testing area for newly constructed animatronics, and made sure it would be Inaccessible to everyone but myself. I mean, you had already seen that there are no obvious entrances,'' Springtrap explained Sam. ''Also, I believe that I had already told you that I made sure to keep people away from private areas.''

''What about the Nightmare Animatronics?'' Sam asked. ''Did anyone, aside from your family, even knew about them?''

''No, although, to be honest, I've been working on them alongside Circus Baby and the other Funtime Animatronics as a side project,'' Springtrap replied, crossing his arms and glancing at Nightmare Bonnie. ''I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do with them at first, considering how Circus Baby was my main focus, although I did experiment with them a little, at least, until Lizzy's death… That's when I decided to give them an actual purpose.''

''Only for that to backfire spectaculary,'' Sam replied in a dry tone. ''Seriously, what were you even thinking?''

''I believe we had already established that I'm really good at making bad decisions, be it when alive or dead,'' Springtrap replied sarcastically, although Sam noticed that he looked quite troubled. She knew that he was well aware that the things he had done to his family were horrifying and feared that her questioning might cause him to break down again, but still, there was a reason why she continued to ask him questions about his past. Someone needed to confront him about what he had done, while also making sure that his side of the story would be heard. However, it wasn't less painful for both of them to go through this again.

''It doesn't make it less horrifying,'' Sam said in a quiet, serious tone. Springtrap's eyes glowed in a soft purple, with him looking crestfallen. He watched her as she went towards the bedroom with a cold, empty feeling spreading through his chest.

 _Sam knows almost everything about me, yet I still get this feeling whenever I talk to her about what I did._ He frowned, feeling a little desperate. _Why, whenever we start talking about my past, do I have a feeling that she would start to hate me, even though she showed that, while she despises who I have been, she cares about who I am now?_

Still, it wasn't just his friendship with Sam that caused him to worry so much. It was also the fact that he had to deal with what he had done to his own family. He felt guilt and regret, and it was tearing him inside out.

Heavy-hearted, he went to the bedroom, noticing Sam looking at the camera in the corner of the room. She seemed to be mildly-curious about it, having already expected some kind of surveillance. Other than the camera, the room looked like any normal bedroom, although it was covered in a layer of dust.

''Say, have you checked under the bed or the closet for monsters?'' Springtrap asked Sam, feeling a little unnerved by her silence. She turned to him, smiling a little.

''Not yet,'' she replied. She then crouched, lifting the blanket to see whether there was indeed something under the bed. She then got up, dusting her knees and giving Springtrap a questioning look. ''Well, there's nothing under the bed. I thought I'd find Nightmare Freddy, or at least the Freddles there.''

''Actually, I saw Nightmare Freddy down the hallway when I searched for the light switch,'' Springtrap told her.

''Well, you could've told me that,'' Sam said, wondering how she managed to miss the animatronic, although, considering how dark it was and that she was focused on the hallway with Nightmare Bonnie, it shouldn't be surprising she didn't notice him. ''At least I hope that Nightmare Foxy is in the closet.''

She then walked over to the closet, opening it and finding the animatronic in question sitting on the floor. Just as Nightmare Bonnie, Nightmare Foxy looked like a more horrifying version of Foxy, with rows of sharp teeth, a torn muzzle and tears all over his body. Yet, Sam didn't look afraid of the animatronic, observing him curiously as she crouched next to him.

''You don't seem to be particularly disturbed by them,'' Springtrap told her.

''Well, when they're not coming after you, they don't seem to be that scary,'' Sam replied and stood up, her arms crossed. ''Speaking of which, I went through that 'scared-of-the-monster-in-the-closet' phase when I was a kid. Only that the monster that I was imagining was the Shadow Man, who would stare at me with his red eyes, waiting until I fall asleep so he could snatch me away.'' She noticed Springtrap giving her a questioning look. She shrugged. ''I was a weird kid who loved to read creepy stories and had a wild imagination.''

''However, you did stop believing that you were being hunted down by a demon, didn't you?'' Springtrap said, being genuinely interested in her story.

''I did, mostly because I realized that, even though there are some really creepy supernatural beings, in the end, humans are the real monsters,'' Sam replied, staring at him. Springtrap wasn't really sure whether she was angry at him or something like that, deciding to keep quiet. Sam closed the closet, walking over to the bed and moving away the Fredbear plushie, dusting of the blanket. ''You still haven't answered my question.'' She glanced at him and noticed the confused look on his expression. ''What were you even thinking by creating those animatronics? I know that people make bad choices, but the decisions you made can hardly be justified by any kind of excuse.''

''I know,'' Springtrap said, sighing as he sat down on the bed. Sam sat next to him, with Springtrap refusing to look at her. He was just staring at the floor.

''Will, could you please tell me what happened?''

Springtrap narrowed his eyes, which were glowing in a soft purple. However, he didn't feel any aggression. Instead, he just felt empty. He closed his eyes.

_How should I explain what had happened? It was a complete chaos… There was so much blood. Nobody knew, except for me…_

He vividly remembered the moment he saw Circus Baby's torso opening and showing him the mangled body of his own daughter. Blood was dripping down his arms as he tried to get her out, shocked by what had happened.

_I told her to not approach Circus Baby! I told her to not go there!_

He felt desperate, knowing that he was too late. Thanks to his own creation, Elizabeth died. Thanks to his own mistakes, he lost another member of his family. However, instead of stopping and trying to make things right, he just carried on with his plans. He had already passed the point of no return.

''After Elizabeth died, I had realized that I needed to keep Sammy and Michael away from the animatronics. I couldn't keep an eye on them, and while Michael seemed to have slowly lost interest in the animatronics, Sammy didn't. I knew that I needed to something about that,'' Springtrap frowned, opening his eyes. ''I figured that, if he was afraid of the animatronics, he'd stay away from them.''

''So, you left him here alone, forcing him to play a game with those Nightmare Animatronics for an entire night?'' Sam said coldly. Springtrap clenched his fist, his vision briefly covered in static, only to see a bunch of monitors in front of him, as well as a little, golden teddy bear with a purple top hat and bowtie, and a walkie-talkie.

''No…'' he told her. ''I didn't leave him here for an entire night. I rigged the alarm clock, so it would seem that a lot more time passed then it actually did.'' He then glanced at the Fredbear plushie that was leaned against the pillow and picked it up. ''He wasn't alone either. I was always there, watching him and making sure that he won't get harmed.''

''Even if you did watch over him and even if he didn't get hurt, he still ended up completely traumatized!'' Sam rose her voice, glaring at him. ''William, he was afraid and crying, and you didn't care! You scarred him for life!''

''I know… and I regret it…'' Springtrap said in a quiet tone. His head was lowered, so Sam couldn't see his expression. He was clutching the Fredbear plushie, shaking.

''Will?''

''I-I…'' Springtrap's grip on the Fredbear plushie tightened. He glanced at Sam, who noticed traces of blood in the corner of his eyes. ''I'm sorry…'' He looked away. ''I… I wish that none of this had ever happened, but there's nothing that can be done now. There's no way to change the past.''

The two sat in silence, with Sam feeling a little torn about confronting him with what he had done and comforting him. After all, he didn't deserve any sympathy. He didn't deserve redemption either. Still, he admitted that what he had done was incredibly messed up and he payed for it. He wanted to atone, feeling remorseful about his past.

''What happened to Sammy?'' Sam asked in a quiet tone, not really expecting an answer. She had already asked him this before and he told her what happened, but she still felt that here was more to it than he wanted to admit.

Springtrap frowned, remembering that day. People were screaming, both adults and children, horrified to see what had happened. Michael was devastated, repeating over and over again how he didn't mean it to happen and that it was supposed to be just a prank. All he saw was a little boy, whose head was stuck in Fredbear's jaws, with blood dripping down the costume and on the floor. The boy was limp, completely lifeless.

_I wish it was just a nightmare. But, it was real… It was horrifying._

''After Michael's prank, I was told at the hospital that Sam might never wake up again, and he didn't. He died after a while and I was unable to do anything about it. Michael was completely devastated about what he had done. First, he had lost his sister, and now his brother was gone as well,'' Springtrap explained, his eyes glowing again. ''Michael never knew why Sammy was so afraid of the animatronics, at least until I showed him this area. I was incredibly furious at him and I wanted to teach him a lesson.''

''I guess that you succeeded,'' Sam said. ''Sammy wasn't probably the only one who suffered from nightmares. Considering how spirits tend to linger, I can only assume that, even if Sammy didn't end up being trapped, he could've tortured his older brother by replaying his experiences with the Nightmare Animatronics.''

''I don't think that that matters anymore,'' Springtrap told her. ''Even though Michael was responsible for Sammy's death, in the end, it is my fault for letting it happen. I know I could've somehow prevented it, and I didn't.''

He stood up, with Sam looking surprised,

''Where are you going?'' she asked.

''Don't worry, I'll be here. I just need to clear my mind,'' Springtrap replied, lowering his head. He then walked out of the room. Sam sighed, picking up the Fredbear plushie Springtrap had left and looking at it.

She wished that she never had brought up the events that tore William's family apart.

**xXx**

Heavy black clouds passed, darkening the sky as Connor entered the factory. He wanted to check on the animatronics before he went to work.

_''I don't think we should believe the rumors, even though they are quite interesting.''_

_''I do believe them.''_

_''Seriously? I don't think that the stories are true.''_

As he walked through the building, Connor recalled his conversations with Bran, trying to remember what his old partner told him about Freddy's. They had been talking about the restaurant's past, about the missing children and the haunted animatronics. Different than Connor, Bran had never believed that it was possible for an animatronic to become haunted, but he would still talk about it. He seemed to be quite fascinated by that idea, no matter how ridiculous it sounded.

_''Imagine creating your own haunted animatronic.''_

_''We could do that, Bran. We could use one of the animatronics they made for Ricky's Wonder Shack.''_

_''You can't be serious, right?''_

He could still remember the incredulous look Bran gave him.

_''Don't worry, I was just joking.''_

He hoped that Bran would understand. After all, they were close friends and shared similar interests. Connor could still remember how Bran helped him when he went through a rough time in his life, never leaving his side. He was quite glad to have someone he could count on.

As he entered the rooms with the animatronics parts and endoskeletons, he saw that everything was in order, just the way he left it. The animatronics he was working on were unfinished, but there were still a few things he needed to work out before putting them together. He still had trouble forcing Ricky and his friends to obey him, as the animatronic AI would override the device he put in. He needed to find a way to make it work.

He entered the last room, the one with Raven. The animatronic was sitting on the ground, limp and lifeless. However, Connor knew that that wasn't true. He knew that Bran's soul was tied to Raven, meaning that he was alive, albeit in a quite twisted way. However, this also meant that his friend would never leave him. He would stay by Connor's side, forever.

''We both should be thankful for that accident, Bran,'' Connor said as he crouched in front of Raven. He frowned at the lack of response. ''Still, I need to figure out how to exactly repeat my success. You do understand that, don't you? After all, you have been the only one who ever understood me.''

He stood up, looking at the Raven for a moment. He then sighed, turning around and leaving, only to suddenly hear the animatronic activating. He turned back, smiling as he saw Raven trashing around.

''Just what I expected…'' he muttered. ''We're together in this, aren't we?''

He then walked away, closing the door behind him. Raven only started to trash more as he was left in the darkness once again.

**xXx**

Springtrap was roaming through the hallways of Circus Baby's Entertainment and Rental, lost in his thoughts. Sam had asked him to show her the rest of the place, with him leading her to the Ballora Gallery which had a hidden door that led to a small area. This part of the location consisted of a hallway with four rooms, a white chair and Plushtrap sitting on that chair. He left her there to explore, not really willing to talk to her. She also kept quiet, with Springtrap wondering whether she feared that continuing the conversation about his past might result in him having another mental breakdown. Considering how that would happen whenever he was at his lowest point, he wasn't surprised that she didn't want to press the issue.

However, even though he felt uncomfortable talking about what he had done, those conversations did help him in a way. Springtrap knew that, as much as he would lament over Elizabeth's and Sammy's death, wishing to change what happened in the past, he couldn't do anything about it. Nothing could bring them back. He knew that, if he stayed stuck in the past, he would never be able to move on, just like that Entity that was haunting him.

Still, what was he supposed to do? Whenever he hoped that he would make some kind of progress, something would happen that would cause him to revert back to his previous mindset. He resented the feeling of fear and dread that accompanied him whenever he decided to do something that would improve his situation, aware that it would somehow backfire. Even worse, his decisions would also directly or indirectly influence Sam, leading to her getting harmed in some way.

He wanted to keep her safe. He wanted to prevent Sam having to experience the same fate his family, or rather, anyone connected to him had experienced. He wanted to protect her without having to leave, even though it was obvious that she'd be better off without him. At least, that's how he felt.

Springtrap suddenly found himself unintentionally walking back into the area with the Nightmare Animatronics, entering the bedroom. He frowned, staring back at the camera he had installed in order to monitor Sammy. A part of him, the one who hated his past self, wanted to rip that camera off and destroy it. It was just another reminder of how much of a monster he was.

He sighed, sitting down on the bed and clutching his head. Hell, this whole place was a remained of how much of a monster he was and that, no matter what he would do, this monster wouldn't cease to exist.

_Everything that happened, it just feels like a bad dream…_

As he tried to calm himself down, he glanced at the drawer next to the closet. Curious, he walked over to it, having already forgotten whether he ever put anything inside it. As he opened it, he was a little surprised to see that there were plushies inside it. He picked up the Freddy plushie, staring at it.

_Sammy loved those toys…_

He frowned and was about to put them back away, when he glanced back at the bed, at the Fredbear plushie that was left there. Hesitant, he glanced back at the toy he held, then walked over to the bed and left the Freddy plushie next to the Fredbear one. He then went back, taking out the other plush toys and placing them on the bed.

He managed to find Bonnie, Chica and Foxy, and when he reached for the last toy that was hastily placed in the drawer, he realized that it was a golden version of Bonnie wearing a purple bowtie – Spring Bonnie. He held the plushie, a little surprised to find it. He was quite sure that, after the retirement of the Spring Bonnie animatronic, there wouldn't be any toys either. It seemed that one survived. He glanced back at the bed, where he left the other toys.

 _Nobody needs them anymore…_ His eyes glowed in a soft purple. _Sammy, Elizabeth and Michael are gone, but there's still someone left. Sam would be happy to have them._

He felt warmth spreading across the chest, replacing the emptiness as he thought about Sam reaction to his little gift. It didn't seem like it was much, but he was willing to do anything to make her happy.

''Springtrap?'' He could hear Sam calling him, her voice getting louder.

''Over here!''

Sam hurried up after hearing Springtrap's voice, entering the bedroom. She was worried about him, considering how quiet he was after their last conversation. She figured that leaving him alone for a while would be a good thing, but after she realized that he was gone, she knew that she had to find him.

''Are you okay?'' she asked him.

Springtrap was reluctant, wanting to tell her not to worry about him, but he then shook his head. _I told her that I wanted her to be honest with me about how she felt and I shouldn't be lying to her either._

''No, I'm not,'' he replied, noticing the look of concern on her expression. ''However, we can talk about this later. There is actually something I wanted to show you first.''

He then gave her the Spring Bonnie plushie. Sam's eyes widened in surprise as she took it, grinning as she looked at it.

''You can keep it if you want,'' Springtrap told her, then gestured at the bed with the other plushies. ''If you don't want it, you can take-''

He was cut off mid-sentence when Sam suddenly hugged him.

''Thank you,'' she said, her eyes bright with joy. Springtrap was glad to see her like this, but he felt that there were still some things left unsaid. Sam stepped back, looking a little worried. ''You said that there was an issue, right? What is it? Did I say something wrong?''

''No, you didn't,'' Springtrap replied in a comforting tone. ''However, this doesn't mean that I didn't reflect on what you told me.''

''So, what's bothering you?'' Sam asked, giving him a curious look. Springtrap's eyes glowed purple as he stepped back, crossing his arms on his back, and tilted his head.

''What I have done is unforgivable, and what happened here was a complete nightmare. Even if I am uncomfortable talking about my past, I am thankful that you're constantly confronting me about what I had done. After all, trying to ignore and forget what had happened obviously won't help me,'' Springtrap told her. ''However, I cannot go back in time and fix my mistakes either. I cannot undo Elizabeth, Sammy and Michael's deaths. This leaves me with two options. Either I can let myself get consumed by guilt, or I can try and make sure I won't make the same mistakes again.''

''Well, I am glad that you think so,'' Sam replied, only to be surprised when Springtrap's eyes suddenly flared purple. He frowned.

''You know, even though I did destroy the remnant, I don't think that it really changed anything,'' he said. ''I am still the same person I was before.''

''Nevertheless, you still decided, on your own, that you want to destroy it instead of saving it,'' Sam pointed out.

''True, but I also told you that I'm capable of creating new remnant. There's nothing that can stop me from doing that,'' Springtrap replied.

''I know, but you also said that you won't do that,'' Sam said, suddenly realizing what he wanted to tell her. ''I made a mistake at some point while talking to you about it, didn't I?'' Springtrap nodded. She sighed. ''Honestly, I forget sometimes that your situation isn't some kind of clean slate and that you cannot separate yourself from the man you have been before your final death, even if I do acknowledge it.''

''Exactly, although, I don't believe either of us ignored that issue on purpose,'' Springtrap replied. ''I was just stuck in the past, believing that there's nothing I could do about who I am, while you tried to encourage me to learn from my mistakes and become a better person, noting that, while I have been a monster in the past, it doesn't mean that I'm a monster now.''

''So, what are you planning to do now?'' Sam asked him. Springtrap grinned.

''The nightmare continues. After all, I am still a murderer and a danger to people,'' he said ominously. He then frowned, the glow in his eyes slowly fading. ''I do regret my past, and I know I cannot change what I had done, but I also know I shouldn't constantly ask myself what would've happened if I didn't go down that murderous path. Honestly, I don't expect redemption, regardless of whether I deserved it or not.'' He tilted his head, looking at Sam. ''As I had already told you, all I want is to be your friend. However, I'll leave it up to you whether you want to keep me as your friend.''

''Of course I want you to be my friend,'' Sam said, interrupting him. Springtrap nodded.

''Then, I will keep you entertained,'' he said, falling silent. ''There's one more thing, though…''

''What is it?'' Sam asked. Springtrap shook his head.

''It's nothing important,'' he said. ''You don't have to worry about it.''

''Are you sure?'' Sam rose an eyebrow.

''Yes, I am,'' Springtrap replied. ''Anyways, do you want to take the other plushies?''

''Sure!'' Sam nodded, only to look at the closet. ''But, what about the Nightmare Animatronics?''

''We'll leave them here. I doubt that anyone will find them,'' Springtrap said. Sam gave him a curious look.

''Do you have any plans for them?'' she asked.

''I don't have any plans, at least for now,'' Springtrap replied. ''However, rest assured, this isn't the last time we're visiting this place. I'm not going to let the animatronics to just rust here.''

He wanted to help her carry the plushies out, but Sam insisted on taking them all by herself, only for the Fredbear plushie to fall out of her arms. Springtrap picked it up.

''You can go on,'' he said. ''I'll just turn the lights off here.''

''Okay,'' Sam replied, hurrying down the corridor. Springtrap took another look at the bedroom, a mix of regret and sorrow on his expression. He then frowned.

_They're gone and I cannot do anything about it anymore. Still, this doesn't mean that I should forget what happened and why it happened._

He closed the door and walked down the corridor, avoiding Nightmare Bonnie. He then went to the light switch.

_I was horrible father towards Lizzy, Sammy and Mike, and hopefully, they're better off now. They deserved a much better life, a better family, than the one I gave them._

He turned the lights off, finding himself surrounded by darkness and walking towards the entrance to this area.

_Still, even if I did accept who I was, or rather, who I am now, this doesn't mean that I should go back to my old habits. What I do now is my decision and I'm not going to waste the chance I had been given._

After closing the entrance and placing the boxes back, Springtrap went towards the Funtime Auditorium, finding Sam on the stage, who was trying to put all of the plushies into her backpack. He gave her the Fredbear plushie.

''Don't forget this one,'' he said, with Sam taking it, nodding and then trying to figure out how to somehow cram the toy into her already full backpack. Springtrap glanced at the box next to the stage, realizing that he had forgot to put it into the private room. ''I'll be right back.''

''Take your time,'' Sam replied, still focused on her backpack. He went to the box and picked it up, taking it towards the office. Just like the other one, this box also contained the dismantled remains of the Funtime Animatronics, with him and Sam having picked up everything they could find. Once inside, he pushed the box under the table and stopped, looking at his old office. Feeling curious, he reached for the drawer and found an old walkie-talkie inside it. He snorted, taking it out.

_I guess some old habits never die._

He clutched the walkie-talkie in his hand, taking one last glance at the monitors, noticing his own reflection. His eyes glowed briefly, with him feeling some of his confidence returning.

_Does it really matter whether I have changed or not? I am still the same person, but with a different outlook on life. I am not going to make the same mistakes again._

He then walked out, closing the door behind him. He was joined by Sam, who was ready to leave, having managed to stuff all the toys into her backpack.

''I'll just go and check whether everything is turned off,'' he told her. ''I'll meet you at the elevator, okay?''

''Sure. I need to give Mum a call anyways so she can pick us up,'' Sam replied, albeit giving him a knowing look. Springtrap had a feeling that she somehow knew what was going through his head, but she still decided to let him to deal with it on his own, even though he didn't tell her anything. Not to mention, there wasn't anything he needed to check on as the whole place had been shut down, except for the lights. He sighed.

In truth, what he really needed was to be alone for a moment.

''I know that you cannot hear me anymore, and that we probably will never meet again, but there are still some things I wished I had said before all of this had happened,'' he said in a quiet tone. Static flashed in front of his eyes, but he didn't really react to it, feeling empty. What he saw were just memories.

One of them was of his daughter, smiling happily as she showed him a drawing she made. All she wanted was her father's approval.

''Elizabeth,'' he muttered. ''I was always proud of you, and I hate myself for what I did to you. Now, you don't have to suffer anymore.''

He glanced at the private room, remembering how he observed Sammy trying to fend off the Nightmare Animatronics. Even though he was incredibly scared of them and even crying, he still managed to keep them away, having quickly figured out their patterns. However, he was left scarred for the rest of his life, and even that ended too soon.

''Sammy, I'm sorry for putting you through those nightmares and for not being able to help you when you needed my help. Hopefully, you won't have any bad dreams anymore.''

Turning to the scooper room, he frowned, remembering the rage he felt as he confronted Michael, who was remorseful about what he had done to his little brother. Even though his oldest son was a bully who killed his own brother, having his insides scooped and turned into an undead corpse was still a cruel fate.

''Michael, you've done well,'' he said. ''You're much better person than I am, and I do hope you have finally found the peace you deserved.''

He lowered his head, with sorrow showing on his expression. He never knew how much he had lost until now.

''I'm sorry I couldn't be a better father…''

He stood there in silence, almost expecting an answer, but there was none. He knew that it was time to leave. Still lost in his thoughts, he turned the lights off and joined Sam at the elevator, noticing the look of sympathy she gave him. The feeling of emptiness faded, replaced by the familiar feeling of warmth and comfort.

_Perhaps, I didn't lose everything._

''Are you okay?'' Sam asked him.

''Not really, but I do feel better,'' he told her.

''That's good to know,'' Sam said. ''Speaking of which, surprisingly, nothing bad really happened today. I mean, there were no accidents.''

''Sam, don't jinx it. The day isn't over yet,'' Springtrap replied, frowning. The elevator opened, with the two walking towards the entrance.

''Well, I'm just saying…'' Sam replied, trailing off as they opened the door and realized that it was raining outside. Springtrap simply gave her an annoyed look, with Sam smiling sheepishly. ''Maybe I spoke too soon.''

''You think?''


	28. I'm Still Alive

**Night 27**

**I'm Still Alive**

_''Free, I want to break free from knowing you. Somewhere in the dark a voice is screaming, one of us is going to leave here bleeding. Breathe, I'm trying to breathe inside of this trap you set to keep me from the daylight, fighting for my life tonight, 'cause I'm still alive.''_

_– **Alive** by Aviators_

**xXxXxXx**

''So, what were you two doing?''

Sam and Springtrap glanced at each other, both feeling that the answer wasn't that significant as what they did was surprisingly mundane.

''We were cleaning the place up,'' Sam told her mother, shrugging. Emma rose an eyebrow, glancing at her daughter suspiciously.

''Really?'' She then looked at the rearview mirror, noticing Springtrap nodding. ''How did you even manage to persuade her to help you cleaning that place up, Afton? Whenever I ask Sam to clean her room, she keeps finding excuses just so she doesn't have to do her chores.''

''Well, she was the one who even came up with that idea,'' Springtrap replied, looking at Sam, who was flustered by her mother's earlier comment. ''As usual, I just went along with it.''

''I see… Okay, what were you really doing there?'' Emma said, her tone firm. Springtrap frowned, already knowing that Emma would still question the two.

''Cleaning up,'' he said. ''There were some things I didn't want other people to find and take.''

''Smart move,'' Emma replied.

''I guess it's never too late to fix some mistakes,'' Springtrap replied.

''We'll see,'' Emma said, with Springtrap looking confused. ''Anyways, Sam, you'll have to order something for dinner.''

''Why?'' Sam asked, giving her mother a confused look.

''Cassie told me that she and Adam wanted to invite me for dinner and I agreed, so you'll be on your own this evening,… unless you want to tag along with me,'' Emma explained.

''No, thanks,'' Sam replied. Emma smirked.

''I thought so,'' she said. ''I figured you'd spend your evening with Afton rather than with me.''

Springtrap looked embarrassed, if not even a little shocked. He wasn't sure whether it was because of what Emma just said or because of how straightforward she was about it. Sam, on the other hand, seemed to be surprisingly nonchalant about her mother's statement.

''Actually, I think you should have an evening just for yourself, without having to worry about me. After all, we'll be staying at home and we won't go anywhere, so things should be fine,'' she replied. Emma rose an eyebrow, glancing at Sam.

''Are you sure?'' she asked. Sam knew that her mother had her doubts about her not getting into trouble even while at home, especially considering what happened at the Blackburn residence in the past days. However, she was quite optimistic.

''Yeah,'' Sam replied, glancing at Springtrap, who gave her the same annoyed look he gave her earlier at Circus Baby's. _Et tu, Springtrap?_

''Okay, then. Just lock yourselves up, as I don't want to find another creep roaming through the house when I return. Having one is already enough,'' Emma told them, noticing their flustered expressions, although Springtrap looked more annoyed than Sam. ''You know, not all incidents that occur in Hurricane are tied to Freddy's.''

Sam and Springtrap exchanged glances, both knowing that, if anything, the latest incident had more to do with Ricky's and the Machinations Factory than with Freddy's and Fazbear Entertainment.

''Did something happen?'' Sam asked.

''Well, a customer told me that there was an attempted break-in a few days ago on the other side of the town. Apparently, the neighbour saw a few teens trying to get into the house and chased them away before they could do anything,'' Emma said nonchalantly. She then frowned. ''Also, a girl went missing. Someone named Bella Curtis had vanished a few days ago. She was last seen at her workplace.'' Emma noticed their nervous expressions. ''I assume you already knew that, right?''

''Yeah,'' both said in a quiet tone, with Sam adding, ''We read it online on the local news.''

''I see,'' Emma muttered, with Sam and Springtrap having the feeling that she wanted to say something else. After all, it was mentioned that Bella worked at Ricky's, which was also the place the two had frequently visited and even admitted to Emma that there was something wrong with it. ''Anyways, I hope you get my point. I really don't want anything bad to happen while I'm gone.''

''Nothing bad will happen,'' Springtrap said in an assuring tone. ''I promise.''

Emma was silent for a few seconds, with both Springtrap and Sam being surprised that she didn't immediately comment on Springtrap's ''promise'' in a snarky manner as she would usually do. She then gave them a sly smile.

''You know, I thought you'd react more at my comment about you being a creep, Afton,'' Emma said.

''While I am a little annoyed, it's more because, in a way, it's true,'' Springtrap replied, frowning. _Not to mention me spending the past days explaining why it's true._

''Yeah, although, I'd still rather leave Sam with you than leave her alone,'' Emma said, with Sam and Springtrap giving her stunned looks. ''Of course, you can just leave if you believe that this isn't a good decision. After all, weren't you convinced that you were a bad influence to Sam?''

Springtrap fell silent.

''I was…'' He said in a quiet tone, frowning and then continued with more confidence, ''But Sam means as much to me as she means to you.''

''As if I didn't know that already…'' Emma said, with a smirk on her lips. Sam and Springtrap just exchanged nervous glances.

Sometimes, both of them felt that Emma was just as unnerving, if not even more, as a murderer possessing a bunny costume.

**xXx**

Two hours later, Sam was nibbling on the pizza she had ordered. Emma had already left, with Sam wondering when she would come back and whether she should wait for her mother or go to sleep. Currently, she and Springtrap were in her room, with her sitting on the floor in her bean bag and Springtrap sitting next to her, watching videos on YouTube. Sam had a blast watching creepy animated stories belonging to a YouTube channel called SNARLED. Every time one story would end, she would excitedly click on the next video.

_''Hey, I'm Sapphire. Wanna hear something scary?''_

Sam got the chills when the eerie music started to play, watching the animated video about a mysterious entity known as the Hachishakusama, or The Tall Woman. ''This is so creepy…''

Springtrap nodded, although, while he did pay attention to the videos Sam would show him, he would time and time again get lost in his thoughts. Something about what Emma told him earlier still bothered him. _It's not as if she was wrong about me, but…_

''Okay, Will, what's the matter?''

Springtrap was startled when Sam had suddenly addressed him. Sometimes, it was surprising him just how fast he would get her full and undivided attention whenever he hinted even a little bit that he felt troubled.

''I was just thinking about what Emma said…'' he replied.

''You are aware that Mum was just messing with you,'' Sam replied.

''I know,'' Springtrap said, adding, ''Although, she did have a point.''

''Maybe, but it's not like she threatened you. I mean, you have already seen what happens when she gets seriously pissed off,'' Sam said. Springtrap remembered the look of pure hatred Emma gave him when she screamed at him to leave after he had accidentally hurt Sam. He shuddered. Sam gave him a sympathetic look. ''Yeah, I know. However, this isn't the case here.''

''I am aware of that, and honestly, that's not what bothered me,'' Springtrap said, with Sam looking confused. ''Sam, I know and I understand that I'm your best friend, as weird as it sounds, but I feel at times as if I'm an intruder here.''

''I don't think that you're an intruder. I have already told you how glad I am that you're here,'' Sam said.

''I know, but, as Emma pointed out, we're practically spending every moment together, being only apart when you go to sleep and even then I…'' Springtrap cut himself off, realizing just how creepy what he was about to say sounded.

''You'd show up in my room just to watch over me,'' Sam continued, narrowing her eyes. Springtrap's ears lowered, with him looking embarrassed. ''Do you really think I didn't know? After all, when I let you stay, the first thing you did was to wait in my room for me to wake up. Whether it would become a habit of yours remained to be seen.''

''You knowing about it doesn't make it less creepy…'' Springtrap muttered.

''Then, could you at least tell me why you would check on me while I'm asleep?'' Sam asked.

''I just wanted to make sure that you're fine, nothing else,'' Springtrap replied.

''At least you're quiet while at it. Mum usually just barges in, tells me to get off my phone and go to sleep. Then she comes back a few times just to make sure that I am asleep, only to wake me up,'' Sam replied casually.

''That's not the same,'' Springtrap said, realizing that Sam was still too comfortable than she should be with this situation. ''I mean, I'm not trying to tell you to stay away from me, as it is obvious that you won't. It's just weird that we're so close despite the fact that it's been only two and a half weeks, if not even less than that, since we met. I can't help but wonder whether I'm doing the right thing.''

''Do you really think that befriending me was a bad thing?'' Sam asked.

''No...'' Springtrap replied, sounding a little insecure. He frowned, refusing to be affected by his insecurities again, and continued in a more confident tone, ''Honestly, I am really glad that I am here and that I met you. If anything, it certainly beats the idea of roaming aimlessly around.''

However, before he could continue, Sam's phone started ringing. Sam picked it up, not recognizing the number. She contemplated whether to answer, wondering if this was one of those ''wrong number'' situations. In the end, she decided to answer, just to see who was calling.

''Hello? Samantha here,'' she said.

Springtrap stared at Sam for a second, wondering why she introduced herself as ''Samantha'', only realize a moment later that he had forgotten that ''Samantha'' was her full name and ''Sam'' was just a nickname. He had gotten used to calling her ''Sam'' so much that ''Samantha'' sounded quite out of place. Sam meanwhile frowned as she listened to the caller.

''No,'' she said, with Springtrap realizing that she sounded quite agitated. ''Don't call me again.''  
She then canceled the call, still irritated.

''What happened? Who was that?'' Springtrap asked.

''Somebody I used to know,'' Sam replied, still angry about the call. Springtrap figured that it was one of her former friends trying to call her. The phone suddenly started to ring again, only for Sam to cancel the call. A few seconds later, it started to ring again, with Sam canceling the call, now furious. Springtrap noticed tears forming in the corners of her eyes when the phone started to ring again, with Sam looking quite frustrated.

''Sam, wait,'' Springtrap said, with Sam giving him a confused look. ''Put it on the speaker. I'd like to hear what they have to say.''

''Okay,'' Sam said, taking a deep breath and answering the call. They heard chuckling in the background, with Springtrap realizing that there were more people behind this call than he initially assumed.

''Hello…''

 _''Oh, so now you decided to answer my call? I knew you had some spare time to talk, so don't lie to me.''_ The moment he heard the girl's obnoxious tone, Springtrap's eyes flared purple, with him feeling irritated. He glanced at Sam, who seemed to be sharing the same sentiment. _''Could you try and not be so rude next time I call?''_

''What do you want?'' Sam asked, trying to keep her tone calm and polite, despite the fact that she felt frustrated. There was some whispering in the background, with her catching the word ''stupid''. She knew that they were hoping that she would hear them.

_''I just wanted to catch up with you. Seriously, there's no need to be so disrespectful.''_

''Oh, really? Weren't you the one who started to spam me with calls despite the fact that I told you to not call me again?'' Sam replied. There was a brief moment of silence on the other side.

 _''That's only because_ you _cut me off, dumbass. Honestly, how are you even capable of holding a normal conversation with anyone if you constantly act like this?''_

Sam bit her lip, wanting to yell into the phone that the reason she acted like this was because she was forced to talk to an arrogant brat. However, she kept calm.

_''Anyways, if you promise us that you won't act so entitled anymore, we will allow you to hang out with us again, albeit under certain conditions.''_

''What?'' Sam was stunned.

 _''You heard that right!''_ Sam's former friend sounded quite cheerful, having misinterpreted Sam's surprise as joy. _''You could be part of our friend group again. All you need to do-''_

''Forget it,'' Sam cut her off, almost yelling into the phone. She heard her ex-friend sigh audibly, imagining her rolling her eyes.

_''Why are you being so difficult? I am trying to do something nice for you and you just have to ruin it, as always. I simply don't understand why you insist on causing trouble when there's no need for it. You just end up hurting yourself.''_

''So, you want to say that it's completely my fault that I had to suffer being constantly insulted and abused by you and the others?'' Sam asked, her voice shaking with rage. There was another audible sigh.

_''Please, see it my way. I, and the others, tried to help you, but you just wouldn't let us. We figured that you had some anger issues, so we decided to leave you alone. However, it is obvious that it is not fair for you to be constantly alone, without friends who care about you. I saw that you were suffering during those past months and now I'm here to help you. Maybe we could come to your place; I heard you were getting a VR set…''_

''You said that you want to help me and that you care about me,'' Sam said furiously. ''Do you really think that calling me a 'selfish and worthless bitch' behind my back helped me? Do you really think that leaving me behind in an abandoned house made me think that you care about me?''

_''Did she really have to bring that up?''_

_''Oh, please, it was just a harmless prank. We were just making fun of her.''_

_''How can someone be so self-centered? Do you really think we should give her a second chance?''_

_''Sam, please, get over yourself!''_

''Don't call me Sam! You lost that right ages ago, you idiot!'' Sam screamed into the phone, breaking down in tears. ''I don't give a damn about any of you! Leave me alone!''

_''Is she crying again?''_

_''I think she just wants attention.''_

_''Sam, you-''_

''SHUT UP!''

Sam cancelled the call, sobbing. Tears were flowing down her cheeks and she was shaking. She felt someone touching her shoulder and lifted her head, noticing Springtrap's look of concern. He hugged her tightly, with Sam burying her head into his chest, still crying.

''Everything's going to be fine, I promise,'' Springtrap said in a gentle and comforting tone. However, despite his calm demeanor, he was already planning on teaching Sam's bullies a lesson, preferably with the help of a butcher knife. He was already furious when he heard how they treated Sam, but once she broke down crying, he had seriously considered finding those brats and murdering them in cold blood. However, currently, he was more worried about Sam's mental state, still feeling worried even after she had stopped crying and calmed down. ''Do you feel better now? Is there anything I could do for you?''

''I'll be fine…'' Sam muttered, only for her eyes to widen when she heard the phone ringing again. She grabbed it, realizing that it was the same number. ''Why can't they just leave me alone?''

''You know, you could let me answer,'' Springtrap said, with Sam giving him a questioning look. ''Trust me, they won't call you anymore after this.''

''What are you planning to do?'' Sam asked.

''Remember how that kid always claimed that I would ending up murdering you? If you don't mind playing along, your bullies will believe that a crazy murderer is after them as well,'' Springtrap explained, half-expecting Sam to tell him that she won't participate in this.

''What do I have to do?'' Sam asked eagerly, with Springtrap's eyes flaring purple.

''Could you please write down their names and, if possible, their addresses?'' he asked, with Sam nodding and opening the notepad on her laptop. The phone had already stopped ringing, only for her bullies to call again. Springtrap answered it, putting the phone on the speaker.

 _''So, Sam, have you changed your mind?''_ The girl's tone was filled with contempt, sounding as if Sam was the one wasting her time by not wanting to talk to her.

''I'm sorry, but Sam is currently unavailable,'' Springtrap said. There was a brief moment of silence on the other side, with Springtrap knowing that they were stunned to hear a man with a deep and raspy voice instead of a teen girl.

_''Who are you? Where is Sam? Is this a prank?''_

''Don't worry, Sam is with me, but I'm afraid that she won't be able to return this call, ever,'' Springtrap continued in a rather polite, but ominous tone. There was frantic whispering on the other side. ''It was a little sad to see her perish, but at least she's not suffering anymore.''

_''Wh-what?''_

''I assume you're her friend, right? My condolences,'' Springtrap said, grinning. It seemed to be taking a while for the teens on the other side to realize what was going on.

_''Wh-what did you do? What's going on? This is not funny!''_

''Taking someone's life isn't funny, but I find it quite delightful,'' Springtrap replied, glancing at Sam, who pointed at her laptop. ''I am glad that you offered yourself as my next victim, Theresa Clover.''

_''H-how do you know my name? Who are you?! What do you want from me?!''_

''So many questions, so little answers…'' Springtrap said, noting the fear in Theresa's voice. He then frowned. ''I'll be coming for you; for you and your friends. I want to listen to you scream and beg for mercy before murdering you and leaving your blood-soaked body somewhere where your family can't find it. People go missing every day, you know, and most of them remain missing forever.''

 _''N-No, you're just m-messing with me. Y-You don't k-know me…''_ Theresa whimpered. _''Th-This is just a prank…''_

''Is it?'' Springtrap replied in an amused tone. ''Don't you live on North Main Street?''

Someone gasped in the background, followed by sobs.

_''Y-you…''_

''I'll see you soon,'' Springtrap added, cancelling the call and giving the phone to Sam, who was doing her best to try not to laugh. ''There, problem solved.''

''Will, you didn't just solve the problem, you traumatized them,'' Sam said, grinning as she blocked the number. ''It was awesome, if messed up.''

''I'm glad I could help,'' Springtrap replied. ''If you ask me, they deserve worse than this, especially after what they put you through.''

''Maybe, but the only thing I'm currently worried about is them calling the cops,'' Sam told him. ''Or what might happen if they find out that I'm still alive.''

''I don't think that that would be much of an issue. As a matter of fact, if they really cared about you, they would call the police to at least investigate this,'' Springtrap told her. ''Besides, even if the cops do show up, you can just tell them that you were being harassed by them and became an unfortunate victim of a disturbing prank. After all, they were calling you, not the other way around, and I doubt that they even thought about recording the call.''

''True,'' Sam said, giving him a curious look. ''Nevertheless, what you told them, you really meant it, didn't you?''

''Honestly, I'd love to hunt them down and teach them a lesson, but, fortunately for them, I won't,'' Springtrap said, then grinned. ''Unless you want me to do that.'' Sam shook her head, with Springtrap shrugging. ''At least they'll be spending the next few days, if not even weeks, living in crippling paranoia and fear of being found and murdered. Even if they believe that this was just a cruel prank, there's no doubt that they will still keep on looking over their shoulder in case that they were wrong about that assumption.''

''I do agree with you about scaring them,'' Sam said, with Springtrap giving her a look of satisfaction. ''They had it coming, and I'm glad that I have your support.''

''Believe me, I would do anything for you,'' Springtrap said. ''Speaking of which, I am a little curious about how someone nice and sweet like you even became friends with such toxic people.''

''That's all Tessa's fault,'' Sam replied, frowning. She noticed Springtrap's confused look. ''Tessa is Theresa Clover's nickname and she was formerly my best friend. We were actually really close, basically childhood friends, but then she met Violet and her friend group. Tessa insisted on becoming friends with them, doing anything to be acknowledged by Violet and dragging me along for the ride, despite the fact that I wasn't sure whether this was a good idea. She changed, becoming quite obnoxious and bossy, and would often throw me under the bus whenever something went wrong. Hell, she would even force me to accommodate to her new friends' desires and when I would refuse and try to talk some sense into her, she would accuse me of being selfish and self-absorbed.''

''That's terrible,'' Springtrap said, his rage towards Sam's bullies only being fueled.

''Eventually, I decided to ghost them after one last confrontation. Tessa did call me and asked me about it, not understanding why I stopped talking to them. I tried to explain to her that she and her new friends hurt me, but she told me I was being a drama queen and that I should get over myself,'' Sam added bitterly.

''It sounds to me as if your friend was always like this and becoming friends with those people gave her an excuse to treat you so horribly,'' Springtrap said, feeling sorry for Sam. She nodded.

''Yeah. I don't think she will ever admit that this was her fault.''

''Also, about this call,'' Springtrap continued, ''I believe that the only reason they have reached out to you is because they have lost their punching bag and they want it back. They don't have anyone to harass and, to them, you're an ideal victim,'' Springtrap said, tilting his head. ''I guess that you now have another reason to insist on keeping me here.''

''I know I went a little overboard with that rant, but that's how I feel,'' Sam said with a look of guilt on her expression.

''Don't feel bad about it. I'm not complaining,'' Springtrap told her, with Sam grinning as he patted her on the head. He then lowered his head. ''Also, what I said earlier, about being an intruder, at least I'm trying to take responsibility and make up for my mistakes, as well as admitting when I'm doing something wrong.''

''That, and you always manage to cheer me up,'' Sam pointed out.

''That too,'' Springtrap added, smiling. He then gave her a curious look. ''There's another thing I'm curious about. What did you mean when you told Tessa that she lost the privilege of calling you by your nickname?''

''I guess I forgot to tell you,'' Sam said. ''Only close family and friends are allowed to call me 'Sam'. For the rest of the public, it's 'Samantha'.''

''I see…'' Springtrap muttered, only to frown when he realized something. ''You never objected to me calling you Sam, and that was well before we became friends.''

''You were an exception. Besides, I had other things on mind at that moment,'' Sam said, shrugging. Springtrap had to agree with that, although he had a feeling that she maybe wanted him to stay. ''Honestly, I'm just glad that I'm not surrounded by toxic people anymore. As a matter of fact, I'm doing much better than I did before.''

''You also seem to be more confident,'' Springtrap pointed out.

Sam just smiled proudly.

**xXx**

Kathy exchanged a look of worry with her younger twin brother. She and Kyle were once again searching for their aunt and older cousins. They wanted to go home, but even if they decided to just walk back home, they couldn't, as it was still raining outside. They tried to search for the female employee who had helped them, but they couldn't find her. They hoped to see Spring, the bunny animatronic whom they befriended, but he wasn't anywhere in sight. Kathy wondered what they should do, as she didn't want to talk to strangers, but she knew that she should find an employee to help her and her brother.

''Now what?'' Kyle asked her worriedly.

''We'll call Mum and Dad,'' Kathy replied, holding up her hand with the wristband. ''Remember what Spring told us?''

''Yeah,'' Kyle nodded. However, before they could do anything, they noticed Ricky approaching them, with both of them feeling nervous.

''Are you lost?'' Ricky asked, sounding worried.

''We're waiting for our aunt,'' Kathy replied, trying to sound convincing, with Kyle nodding quickly. ''She'll be here soon.''

''Okay, but your aunt should really know better than to leave you unsupervised,'' Ricky replied. Kathy pouted and crossed her arms, having already heard that argument before numerous times, while Kyle quickly glanced at her and copied her. ''However, if there's someone else keeping an eye on you, there's no need to worry, right?''

Kathy and Kyle felt chills, even though they didn't understand what Ricky meant by that. They just wanted to get away from him, as they had a bad feeling.

''Say, have you seen that bunny animatronic friend of yours? I saw him here a few times and wanted to meet him, but he would just vanish,'' Ricky added.

''N-No, we didn't see him,'' Kathy replied, remembering her promise to Springtrap about keeping his presence a secret.

''We don't know what you're talking about!'' Kyle suddenly blurted out, with his sister giving him an irritated look. Ricky tilted his head, observing the two.

''Let's go,'' Kathy hissed, taking her brother's hand and quickly walking away.

''Tell him to meet me if you ever see him again.''

Kathy and Kyle shivered when they heard Ricky's cold tone, turning around, only to realize that he was gone. They looked at each other and then quickly ran towards an employee they saw, hoping that he would help them.

Meanwhile, Connor frowned. Considering how those two kids told him about the bunny animatronic, he hoped that they would know something. However, he had quickly realized that they probably wouldn't be able to tell him anything. As he made his way back to the room behind the stage, he thought about what he currently needed to do.

He wanted to lure the bunny animatronic out, and he knew that he'd have to find that girl he had been talking to the other day. However, considering her reaction, he doubted that she would ever come back here.

_I need to figure out how to find them._

As he took off the head and the torso of the wolf costume, the torso got stuck. Once he yanked it off, he realized that some of the wires ripped a hole open on the light sleeveless shirt he was wearing underneath. Groaning, he took it off and put in his bag, taking his dark blue employee shirt that was folded on the table. Before he put it on, he glanced down, frowning at the surgical scar that was lying diagonally on the left side of his chest.

He tried to not think of the incident that was the reason why he had it.

**xXx**

Springtrap was quite glad that Sam was back to her usual happy self after that horrible call from her bullies, observing her as she searched for another video to watch. She didn't seem to be faking her smile this time, with him figuring that something had been done right. He frowned.

_It's quite surprising for someone who always made the wrong decisions._

He sighed. Aside from being a horrible person and a horrible father, there were also some mistakes he had made that made him feel like a complete idiot, especially now that he thought about them.

_People say that you can learn from your mistakes, but I'm not really sure about this. After all, Henry and Michael figured that the only way to fix things was to send me to Hell, which still didn't work._

He leaned over, trying to watch the video Sam had selected, but he kept contemplating his decisions, feeling a little frustrated.

_I really need to stop doubting myself._

He briefly glanced at Sam, only to give her a surprised look when he realized that she was staring curiously at him.

''Is something wrong?'' he asked.

''I'm fine, but you look like you're in bad mood, and I doubt it's because of the video I have chosen, considering it's a funny compilation of dogs reacting to their owners telling them they're going to the vet,'' Sam said, glancing at her laptop. Cue a dog howling what surprisingly sounded like _''Noooooooo!''_ after their owner told him about the vet. Springtrap chuckled, feeling quite amused by it. He then frowned.

''It's mostly about me being an idiot,'' he said.

''What is it now?'' Sam asked, a little worried.

''Remember how you told me I was an idiot for walking into Henry's trap?'' Springtrap asked, with Sam nodding. He sighed. ''You'd think I'd be smarter than that.''

Sam tilted her head, with a curious look on her expression. ''This isn't the real issue here, right?''

''No,'' Springtrap replied, frowning as he stared at the floor. ''Honestly, I still don't know what was going through my head when I decided to go there.''

''Well, you did say that, at this point, you had pretty much lost your mind and Henry was taking advantage of the bloodlust you felt,'' Sam said. ''Then everything burned down.''

''True, although, I wish I had done things differently now,'' Springtrap replied. ''Although, that would've been an awkward family reunion.''

Sam covered her mouth, feeling incredibly wrong about chuckling about the image of Scraptrap, Scrap Baby, undead Michael and Sammy's spirit reuniting at a burning fake pizzeria.

''I know. As I said, that would be quite awkward,'' Springtrap said, aware of what was on Sam's mind. ''To be honest, I wasn't really expecting Michael to be there, as I believed that he was dead at this point or had left.''

''Well, technically, he was dead,'' Sam pointed out, remembering the man covered in bandages she had seen when the restaurant was still in function.

''He was as dead as I was,'' Springtrap replied. ''Still, I have to admit that I was a little impressed by how determined he was to finally bring an end to everything. I mean, after Sammy's death, Michael was so regretful that he didn't even think twice about following my orders. He wanted to atone for what he had done, even if that resulted in his own death, as well as spending years on searching for me, in hopes that, if he finds me and makes sure I won't hurt anyone anymore, that he would find peace as well. Not to mention Henry deciding to stay and suffering a horrible death after making sure nobody would escape. They had more courage at that moment than I ever had in my entire life.''

''You know, it also takes a lot of courage to admit when you're wrong,'' Sam said. Springtrap glanced at her.

''I don't think that anything I do or say will earn me any kind of forgiveness,'' he said.

''Still, if you had the chance to see Michael, Elizabeth and Sammy again, you would tell them what you just told me?'' Sam asked.

''I would,'' Springtrap replied in a quiet tone, remembering the feeling of emptiness and regret he had when he confessed how he felt to an empty room in hopes his family would hear it. He sighed. ''Still, while I certainly won't forget the past, I certainly shouldn't neglect the present, and currently, you're the most important person in my life.''

''Well, I'm just glad I could help you with this,'' Sam replied. Springtrap nodded.

''I'm surprised you're not getting tired of my rants,'' he said.

''Why would I? I like having these kinds of conversations with you and you even said it that you're happy to have someone to talk to after being isolated in Hell,'' Sam replied.

''Right, and speaking of Hell,'' Springtrap's eyes glowed in a soft purple, ''I know that I said that I would probably end up being stuck there again, but when I think about it, would that really prevent me from trying to figure out a way to return here? I don't think so.''

''To be honest, I kind of expected you to say that,'' Sam said, with Springtrap looking surprised. She smiled. ''It might've been not that long since we met, but considering that you basically told me everything about yourself and your past, it's no wonder it feels as if we knew each other for much longer than this.''

''I guess that would explain a lot of things,'' Springtrap said.

''Besides, you may be regretful about what you had done, but as you already said, you're still the same person. It would've been surprising, if not shocking, if you just decided to find a way to return back to Hell because you know that you belong there instead of trying to stay here as long as possible,'' Sam added. Springtrap knew that she was right.

''I always come back,'' he muttered. ''Only that, when I did return, it was because of selfish reasons. This time, it's not the case.''

Sam smiled, with Springtrap being glad that she was genuinely happy about this. Rest assured, he wasn't going to leave her and he was determined to not waste the chance he was given when he was brought back.

_I'm still alive… and I'll make sure that it will stay that way._


	29. Dream Your Dream

**Night 28**

**Dream Your Dream**

_''Hush now, drift off to sleep, reality, a memory. Don't be scared of what you find, yeah, it's all just in your mind. Monsters that live inside your head at night, they are all right, cause they can never compare to the ones that live outside. So dream, dream, dream your dream, cause when you're awake, a nightmare awaits. So dream, dream, dream your dream, cause when you're awake, a nightmare awaits. It's a fantasy, they'll be seeing you soon, nowhere left to go, terrors keep breaking through. So dream, dream, dream your dream, cause when you're awake, the nightmare will become the truth.''_

_– **Dream Your Dream** by TryHardNinja_

**xXxXxXx**

It was almost midnight when Sam decided to finally go to sleep, but not before insisting on watching _Coraline_ , noting how it's one of her favorite movies. After going beforehand through numerous creepy videos, as well as the surreal scenes with the Other Mother later on, Springtrap started wondering how Sam could even sleep peacefully. He thought that she would be at least a little paranoid due to the videos and the movie, only to remember that she hinted at being more freaked out by creepy things happening in real life rather than in fiction. That, and there was also the fact that she had someone watching over her and making sure she was safe.

After checking on her, Springtrap was about to return to his room when he heard the door downstairs opening. He went down, seeing a rather disheveled Emma going straight for the kitchen. He wondered what happened, as she looked like she was in a quite bad mood. He wasn't sure whether he should even approach her, as he didn't want to risk her yelling at him. He glanced into the kitchen, watching her as she put an ice pack on her right hand.

''Uhhh, Emma…'' he called out for her, only to flinch when she glared at him furiously. She then walked straight past him towards the stairs. ''Em-''

''Don't talk to me,'' Emma snapped, ''unless you want me to break another nose.''

Springtrap quickly took a step back, his eyes wide in fear. Emma sighed and went upstairs. Springtrap stood there for a while, stunned, only to feel a little foolish when he realized that it was impossible for Emma to physically hurt him. However, that didn't mean that he wasn't still intimidated by her.

''I guess that the dinner didn't go well,'' Springtrap muttered to himself. He went to the front door, locking it as Emma had accidentally left it unlocked and checked the kitchen door as well. Once he made sure everything was fine, he turned the lights off and went upstairs, figuring that he could ask Sam to ask Emma what happened in case Emma snapped at him again. Knowing Emma, whoever pissed her off probably deserved to be punched in the face.

Springtrap closed the door behind him and lied down on the couch, closing his eyes. Sure, that wouldn't let him fall asleep, as he still hadn't figured out how to do that, or whether it was even possible, but it did help him relax. After all, it had been a long day and he wanted, for once, not to think about what happened, but rather focus getting some rest.

However, just as he got comfortable, static flickered in front of his eyes, with him sitting up suddenly and opening his eyes. He frowned as he realized that he wasn't anymore in his room at the Blackburn residence, but rather at Freddy's, sitting on the stage. He looked down, noticing that he wasn't inside the suit, but rather had his scarred human body back. He stood up, looking around as he wondered what this was about.

''Can't I have some peace for once?'' he asked.

''I'm afraid that that's not possible.''

William looked up, noticing Henry walking towards him. While he did feel a little tense, he was actually glad to see his old partner. He remembered their last conversation ending in an argument, with Henry questioning him about what he had done in the past, about his motives for staying here and his relationship with Sam. It wasn't really pleasant for any of them to talk about the past, with William losing his temper a few times, frustrated about what the point of that conversation was and wondering whether Henry was another hallucination or not.

However, a lot had happened since then and William had enough time to think about everything that was said and done. While he made it clear that he was going to stay here and keep Sam company, his attitude towards what he had done did change. Not to mention, he was genuinely curious about what Henry wanted to tell him. He knew that his old partner wouldn't contact him without having a good reason for that.

''I should've known that. So, why are you here, Henry?'' William asked him, putting his hands in his pockets. Henry's eyes narrowed.

''I am surprised that you're not questioning my appearance this time, William,'' he said. ''I assume you have managed to learn how differentiate between delusion and reality, or am I wrong?''

William frowned. While he did figure out how to differentiate between delusion and reality, that still didn't mean that the delusion in question wouldn't affect him, especially if he got himself lost in his memories, not realizing what he was actually doing under the influence of the hallucination until it was too late. He knew that he still had a lot to improve.

''Do you want to tell me that, all this time, you indeed were just another hallucination?'' he asked. Henry shook his head lightly, with William raising an eyebrow, as it seemed as if Henry was neither agreeing nor disagreeing with him. Instead, he seemed to be giving William a look of disappointment, which made William feel exasperated.

''I just wanted to check on you, as you seemed to have gotten into a lot of trouble lately,'' Henry replied.

''Are you my social worker now?'' William asked sarcastically. Henry snorted.

''Unfortunately, I am not,'' he replied. ''Although, if you need one...''

''Thanks for your concern, but I'm doing well for myself,'' William replied, cutting him off. Henry frowned.

''Are you?''

William was taken aback by the accusatory tone in Henry's voice, sounding as if his old partner didn't believe that he had any desire to change and improve. His eyes narrowed. While he knew that he was still treading on the edge losing himself and that he still felt insecure about certain decisions, he was still doing better than before.

''Yes, I am,'' he said in a firm tone. ''Although, I don't have to prove that to you, Henry. This is something between me and Sam.''

''Of course it is,'' Henry said calmly. ''If it weren't for her, you wouldn't be here.''

William wasn't sure whether Henry was being sarcastic or not. He sighed.

''What do you want?'' he asked in a resigned tone.

''I'm here to talk,'' Henry replied. William gave him a suspicious look, with Henry shaking his head. ''You have already told me what I wanted to hear. Even though I am still furious about what you have done, I got the explanation I needed.''

''Then, what do you want to talk about?'' William asked, feeling a little uncertain.

''I assume that you remember what I told you during our last conversation,'' Henry said, with William nodding.

''You asked me about Sam,'' William said, crossing his arms. ''Are you here to lecture me about being a danger to her? I understand that you're also worried about her safety, but I told you I won't let anything happen to her.''

''Not that you succeeded,'' Henry said. William frowned, lowering his head.

''I know, she did get hurt, and I couldn't do anything to prevent it from happening.'' William glared at Henry. ''However, that doesn't mean that I wanted her to get hurt!''

''Exactly,'' Henry said in a heavy tone. ''You couldn't do anything. However, that didn't stop you from trying.''

William gave Henry a curious look. He leaned against the nearby table, wondering what his old partner was up to. Henry walked up to the stage, looking at it, as if reminiscing about something.

''I told you that there was something I don't understand, didn't I?'' he said, not looking at William.

''Could you be any more vague?'' William asked sarcastically. He was sure that Henry was just messing with him at this point, although he felt a little strange when Henry gave him a questioning look. He frowned. ''What is it?''

''I want to understand what you got yourself into,'' Henry said. ''Honestly, I never really had much faith in you, William. I believed that, the second you were out of Hell, you'd be back to your usual business of making other people suffer in order to satisfy your own selfish desires. For a while, it did seem as if I was right.''

''You weren't the only one,'' William replied, standing up and facing Henry. ''I also had my doubts, and I admit that I still have them at times. However, that won't change my decision.''

''I know,'' Henry said. ''Despite all of the difficulties you had to deal with, you still managed to keep your word. I guess I was wrong to just assume things.''

William stared at Henry with a stunned look on his expression, then frowned.

''Why would you think that you were wrong about your assumptions?'' William asked. ''After all, you know well what a depraved monster I am. You have every right to be suspicious.''

''Don't think that I have forgotten or forgiven what you had done,'' Henry replied, a stern look on his expression. William's dark eyes narrowed, glaring at Henry. Despite being calm just a few minutes ago, he suddenly felt frustrated again. _You don't have to prove him anything._

''Trust me, I know that you would never forgive me,'' he said. ''I am not asking for your forgiveness either.''

''You did ask for your own children's forgiveness,'' Henry replied. William stood there silent, just staring at him coldly, his expression unreadable. ''I know what happened during the past week, what you went through and what you have done.''

''So?'' William frowned.

''Perhaps I should've expected it, but I was a little surprised by how determined you were to prove that you aren't completely a monster,'' Henry said, crossing his arms. ''It seems like Sam had a greater influence on you than I had assumed initially.''

William looked away, seemingly annoyed by Henry's comment, but didn't say anything. He then walked away, with his hands in his pockets, only to stop after a few steps, having wanted to just create some distance between himself and Henry.

''To be honest, Henry, I doubt that you will ever understand anything about me,'' William said. ''You may have seen me being regretful about what I had done and trying to fix my past mistakes, but do you really think that that means anything?''

Henry's eyes narrowed as he listened to his old partner, noticing that, despite his cold tone, William seemed to be quite conflicted.

''Does it mean anything to you?'' Henry asked.

William kept silent.

**xXx**

Connor had his laptop open, nibbling on a doughnut. He wasn't really hungry nor tired, despite the fact that he had hardly eaten anything during the day and it was about 1 AM in the morning. He just couldn't sleep, but he did figure that he shouldn't be awake on an empty stomach.

The one thing that kept him awake was a rush of adrenaline as he researched the past of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. While he couldn't find much, he had figured that he should try to find other locations that had animatronics, realizing that they may have been taken over by Fazbear Entertainment or just an extension under a different name.

He had luck, having found a report about a place called Circus Baby's Pizza World, although he was disappointed when he learned that it had been closed the same day it had opened due to gas leaks and had never been re-opened since then.

However, what actually drew his interest was a different article. It was about the opening of a small restaurant called Fredbear's Family Diner. Surprisingly, it also had a photo of the co-owners of that restaurant standing in next to a stage that had a bear and a bunny animatronic.

''Henry Emily and William Afton,'' Connor muttered as he read the article. It was a brief description of the place, with the owners claiming how the place was created for the enjoyment of families and how they hoped that future visitors would have a lot of fun playing and singing with the animatronics.

Connor tried to find more articles about those two and grinned when the mention of a company named Afton Robotics popped out. However, his excitement quickly turned to disappointment when he learned that it wasn't in business anymore, having been closed for years. He dug through old articles, but the most he could find was that William Afton had been gone missing since the 80s, while Henry Emily was found dead, along with another man, after the fire that happened less than two years ago at the last Freddy's location. What was quite interesting about those articles was that Fazbear Entertainment released very little information about anything, claiming that the fire had been arson, even though they had never found the culprit. There was also an article about Fazbear's Fright, but Connor didn't pay much attention to it as it had burned down during the same week it was supposed to open. The fire there had been attributed to faulty wires, although Connor did wonder whether it might have been the same culprit.

However, in short, he still had no idea what exactly had happened at Freddy's during the past decades and what kind of connection that strange bunny animatronic had to that place. Still, he did notice that the bunny animatronic shared similarities with the animatronic that stood next to Fredbear in the photo. Apparently, the bunny in the article was known as Spring Bonnie.

''Didn't those two kids call the animatronic 'Spring'?''

Connor grinned. If he was right, one of the animatronics from the first generation was still walking around, even if he did look a little different from the one he saw in the photo. Not to mention, while Henry Emily was indeed dead, there was nothing about William Afton, with Connor assuming that he may have been still alive.

''Or maybe, he isn't, at least not as a human being,'' Connor muttered as he saved the articles.

Considering how Bran's soul and mind had been trapped inside the Raven suit, Connor assumed that something similar may have happened to Afton. However, why he would hang out with a teen girl was beyond his comprehension.

Connor glanced at Raven, who was sitting on the floor next to the table. He had dragged him here, hoping for some kind of conversation, but he remained silent as usual. Connor had thought that his old friend might've gotten a little lonely and resolved to work harder on the animatronics and finally make them work. He already had all the parts he needed.

Connor leaned back on his chair, sighing. He glanced at Raven.

''You know, Bran, you could show some kind of sign of approval instead of just sitting there. After all, you're still here with me. That's what we both wanted, right?''

The animatronic remained silent. Connor frowned, feeling a little irritated. However, he felt that he needed to give his friend more time. Perhaps he still hadn't figured out how to use the suit beyond just trashing around. After all, Afton had been missing for decades and had just now appeared as an animatronic. Who knows how much time it took him to take control of the Spring Bonnie suit.

Nevertheless, Connor knew that he could help his friend. After all, his friend had always been there for him when he needed him. He placed his hand on his chest, feeling the spot where the scar was. It had been over five years, and while some parts were blurry, he still remembered vividly the experience of his own death.

One moment, he was driving on the road and in the next moment, he found himself passing out from blood loss and shock, his car totaled because of a drunk driver ramming into him and an another driver. Connor landed in a ditch, and the last thing he saw was the broken front window and a broken tree branch piercing his chest.

When he woke up, he was being yelled at by a paramedic to stay awake as they brought him to the ER. The pain he felt was unbearable and he found himself losing consciousness over and over again as the medical crew tried to saw off the branch, leaving only a part inside him to prevent further blood loss before they could perform surgery on him.

Once again, he had lost consciousness, but the next thing that happened was burned into his memory and fascinated him ever since. When he woke up, there was no pain, but a strange sensation, as if he was floating. He looked around, seeing the doctors and nurses huddled around a patient on the operating table, yelling frantically about losing him and trying to resuscitate him.

_''What happened…?''_

When Connor approached them, he realized that the man on the operating table was him, his chest open with pieces of wood still stuck inside. Then, he fell victim to the darkness, losing consciousness once again.

When he woke up again, everything was blurry and all he felt was numbing pain. He couldn't move at all and, once he vision had cleared, he realized that he was in a hospital bed, with Bran sitting next to him. All Connor could recall was how happy Bran was to see him, but he couldn't remember what he was talking about as he was busy trying to stay awake. All he could do was to nod or shake his head in an attempt to answer any kind of question or acknowledge that he could hear him.

During the few days he had spent in the hospital, Connor remembered how Bran would visit him whenever he could and try to help him and cheer him up. He told him how horrified he was when he was told that Connor died and had to be revived during the operation, repeating over and over again how relieved he was that his friend would make a full recovery. Connor had also learned from Bran that the drunk driver had died upon impact, while the other driver got away with only light injuries and was the one who called the ambulance.

However, while he did bring it up, Bran had never asked him about his death experience. Connor had spent most of his nights thinking about it, that strange sensation when he saw his own body. He never felt terror or anything similar when he recalled it, but he did display morbid interest in it. He would find himself searching for more information about it, ignoring the scientific articles that tried to explain how the experience of death had something to do with how the brain reacts to it and focused on those that had a more supernatural aspect to them.

After having been declared fit to leave, Connor found Bran waiting for him and expressed his gratitude for having a friend who helped him through a such rough time in his life. However, what Bran didn't know at that time was that Connor's opinion on life had changed. The idea of death fascinated and intrigued him, and he would constantly talk to Bran about his experience. While Bran was at first interested in it, he became uncomfortable about the topic a while later. Connor merely assumed that Bran simply lost interest and stopped talking about it. However, he would occasionally bring it up, with Bran just laughing it off.

''You know, you should've taken me more seriously about this,'' Connor told the animatronic. He smiled. ''Luckily, this way, you will always be by my side.''

The Raven remained silent.

**xXx**

Sam found herself standing in the darkness, looking around confused. Her first assumption was that she was dreaming, but the moment she heard a familiar voice, she knew that this was more than just a dream.

_''Seems like you're also being affected by those nightmares.''_

''Wasn't it obvious back at Freddy's?'' Sam replied, crossing her arms. She had no idea what that kid wanted from her, but was glad they weren't targeting Springtrap for once. ''So, are you here show me how dangerous Springtrap is and tell me that I shouldn't be friends with him? Because that won't work.''

There was a brief pause.

 _''No.''_ Sam noticed that the kid sounded quite uncertain.

''Okay, if you have any questions, I'll do my best to answer them,'' she said, figuring that arguing with the spirit of a child won't help her much.

 _''Fine,''_ the kid said, then yelled, _''Why are you friends with a murderer?!''_

''I should've known you would ask me that,'' Sam said, sighing.

 _''Seriously, he hurt you, and then he imagined killing you,''_ the kid continued. Sam glanced at her bandaged arm.

''First of all, me having my arm injured was an accident. Also, _you_ made Will hallucinate, which is why he hurt me,'' Sam said calmly, although it was quite clear that she was irritated by the kid's attitude. ''Furthermore, he didn't imagine killing me. It was a prank call, and it seems that you have missed the fact that he asked me whether I was comfortable with it and I agreed. Besides, they did deserve to be scared, considering how much anxiety and mental health issues they have caused me.''

_''Still, he is a murderer…''_

''Yeah, he is,'' Sam cut them off. ''He also deeply regrets what he had done and is trying to become a better person. He also cares about me and, unlike my former friends, he actually listens to me. He comforts me when I'm depressed, he talks to me whenever there's an issue, he cheers me up when I'm down, trying to make me feel happy. He makes sure that I'm comfortable with his presence instead of forcing me to accept it. Hell, he's willing to leave the moment I say I don't want him here, despite the fact that he clearly wants to stay. He is trying to move on from the past and preventing it from repeating. Seriously, have you even seen what Connor is up to?''

 _''He's trying to manipulate you,''_ the kid replied, ignoring Sam's comment about Connor. Sam had figured that it probably wouldn't make any sense to bring Connor up. The child had been wronged by William and would continue torturing him for that, ignoring the fact that there were other people in the world who probably had done even worse things.

''Obviously, he has succeeded then, since I'm defending him,'' Sam said, deciding to turn this conversation around. ''Am I dead? No. Is he trying to use me for his own gain? No. Is he being honest with me about whatever is on his mind? Yeah! Now, could you please explain me what the hell is possibly wrong with this picture?''

There was a long silence, with Sam being aware that the kid was present only because she was still standing in the darkness instead of waking up in her bed. When the kid suddenly spoke again, they sounded much calmer.

_''Why do you want him to stay so much? I don't understand. You know he will leave eventually and you will become depressed again.''_

''I know that nothing is lasts forever,'' Sam said with a bitter smile on her expression. ''That won't stop me from making sure that he would stay here as long as possible.''

_''You're an idiot.''_

''And you're a sad strange little kid, and you have my pity. Farewell!''

_''Hey! I'm not done yet!''_

''I'm listening,'' Sam replied, smiling slyly. There was a brief moment of silence.

_''You know, even though I don't understand why you're like this, I still want to protect you. You don't have to suffer like we did.''_

''Tell me, do I really look I'm suffering?'' Sam asked in a quiet tone.

 _''You do, but, not really…''_ the kid replied, sounding unsure, only to add coldly, _''He will pay.''_

Sam shivered, feeling the temperature lowering. She was still standing in the darkness, hugging herself in comfort. However, this time, she knew that she was alone.

**xXx**

''William?''

Henry felt a little uncomfortable by William's silence and overall behavior. He had never seen him act like this and, after he found out what he had done, realized that he was a cold, cunning, calculating, manipulative and sadistic man who couldn't be stopped by anything, not even death. He could still remember the insanity he saw in his eyes when he encountered him at Fazbear's Fright, now sharing the fate of his victims. However, instead of despairing, William saw this as an opportunity to continue killing people, not having to fear death anymore.

Even though Henry knew that William was responsible for all the horror that occurred, he knew that he was sharing at least part of that responsibility. Consumed by grief, he had turned a blind eye, ignoring the reports of disappearances. He didn't want to be a part of this anymore, but he couldn't escape the past. Over the years, he became desperate, spending nights awake, torn by guilt. All he wanted was for everything to end and to just sleep forever.

However, he knew that he couldn't stand aside anymore. He had created a trap, making sure nobody would escape it and let everything burn down. He managed to free their souls and destroyed the monster he unwillingly helped to create. _It was supposed to be over, but it isn't._

He stared at William, who seemed to be lost in his thoughts. It was true that his old partner acted differently this past week, showing remorse for what he had done and even actively destroying the container with the remnant, the very substance that was one of his obsessions and the result of his experiments. While that was the right thing to do, somehow, it felt unsettling. Henry had to wonder whether William was really was honest about his attempts to change, or simply tried to force himself to change because he saw no other option. Either way, he feared that people would once again suffer due to his decisions.

''It means everything to me.''

William clenched his fist, his back still turned to Henry, who was a little surprised by the answer, having expected William to tell him that he doesn't care. William then turned around, glaring at Henry.

''Do you know how it feels being consumed by fear every time you believe you made a mistake? Do you have any idea how it is to constantly have to deal with those memories coming back to haunt you, causing you to lose your mind? Are you even aware how it is to have your own soul broken and left to be pieced back together?'' William said furiously. ''True, the only person I can blame for this experience is myself, but that doesn't mean that I won't eventually snap and hurt the only person who trusts me. This is the fear I have to live with every damn day, and rest assured, I'm fighting to stay sane enough to not descend back into the madness I went through before. I refuse to let that happen again.''

''In the end, you just escaped one nightmare only to become trapped in a different one,'' Henry said.

''This isn't like Hell, Henry,'' William replied. ''There, I had been given the option to just give up and die. I knew what was waiting for me, having been stuck in an endless cycle. This, however, is different. Every bloody decision I make affects the outcome and I never know what will happen next.''

''Still, you seem to be quite convinced that you would end up in Hell again, regardless of what you do,'' Henry pointed out.

''Exactly,'' William replied in a chilling tone. He sighed, then continued in a more determined tone, ''Nevertheless, if I have to leave, I will leave knowing that I haven't wasted my time here.''

''I see,'' Henry muttered, narrowing his eyes. ''I assume that Sam will also be a part of this plan of yours.''

''She already is,'' William replied. ''As I had already said, I'm not leaving her. You and that spirit may accuse me of trying to harm her, but you're wrong. I only want the best for her, to see her happy, and I won't let anyone hurt her.''

''After all, you know well what kind of monstrous people exist in this world,'' Henry said coldly. William frowned, feeling a pit in his stomach. ''What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind this time?''

''I guess you will have to wait and see,'' William replied, crossing his arms. He then walked over to the stage, standing next to Henry, who gave him a suspicious look. ''Nevertheless, you, and even Emma, were right about one of your assumptions, though.''

''What do you mean?'' Henry asked, with William looking at him.

''The fact that I'm not only Sam's best friend, but also acting like a father figure towards her,'' he said, noticing the puzzled look on Henry's expression. ''Believe me, no one can replace Elizabeth, Sammy or Michael, and I know that I shouldn't even be doing this, especially considering how I failed horribly as a parent. I have merely considered the idea, but in the end, I will leave it to Sam to decide whether she wants this or not.''

''You're really adamant to make this work, aren't you?'' Henry asked.

''Hopefully, it will,'' William replied, stepping away from Henry. ''I want it to work out, at least for Sam's sake.''

''I understand,'' Henry said. ''You know, for all the things you did wrong, it is still impressive how determined you become when you put your mind into something.''

''Right,'' William said, a little unsure about how to respond to Henry's comment. While Henry had already acknowledged his determination in their previous conversation, William felt that there was still something else that his old partner wanted to say. ''Speaking of which, why have you returned? There is nothing here for you to do, unless you're enjoying having a conversation with me.''

''William, are you even aware that there might still be certain things I regret?'' Henry said in a heavy tone, with William noticing the solemn look on his expression. ''I felt guilty for ignoring your actions and I told myself I wouldn't rest until you're gone. I tried to do everything to finally put an end to the horror show you had created, and now you have returned once again. Knowing that you're still out there, it feels like I had failed.''

''Trust me, you haven't failed,'' William replied. ''I have already told you that what you did was quite impressive. You went through all of that effort of creating a fake restaurant, luring me and the other haunted animatronics into the trap and burning everything down while also calmly accepting your own death. In the end, you have achieved what you wanted. You won.''

''That still doesn't change the fact that you're back,'' Henry pointed out.

''I have already told you why I'm here and I'm not going to change my mind about it. Whether you want to trust me or not is up to you, but I doubt it will make any difference,'' William replied.

''Of course it won't,'' Henry said in a resigned tone. ''After all, everything that matters to you is Sam's opinion, isn't it? If it were someone else, you wouldn't care. If it hadn't been for her, there would be blood on your hands once again.''

William narrowed his eyes, wanting to reply, but he kept quiet instead. Henry stared at him coldly, a condemning look on his expression.

''Exactly,'' he said, crossing his arms. ''You also know that another mistake could destroy everything you care about. I suggest you to be careful.''

William stared at Henry, the feeling of emptiness spreading through his chest. Henry then turned around, walking towards the exit of the room.

''End communication.''

''Henry,'' William called out, with Henry turning towards him and giving him a curious look. ''I don't think us two having a conversation from time to time is a bad thing.''

Henry stared at him for a moment, then nodded, with William noticing a hint of a smile on his expression.

''We'll see each other again,'' Henry said, walking away and disappearing into the darkness. William was left standing in the room, still staring at the place where Henry had been a few moments ago. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes.

''I'll keep that in mind.''

There was a brief flickering of static covering his vision and when opened his eyes again, he found himself standing in the middle of his room. He glanced at the window, noticing that it was still night and that it had stopped raining. While he felt exhausted, there was also a feeling of satisfaction. He knew that Henry wouldn't trust him, but he did appreciate his effort to try and have a somewhat normal conversation. Not to mention, his old friend might pay him another visit.

_At least, we have managed to reach some kind of agreement._

Springtrap then walked towards the door, wanting to check on Sam to make sure that she was fine. He planned to talk to her tomorrow, figuring that he should tell her about his encounter with Henry and what he told him. However, as he opened the door, instead of finding her in her sleeping, Sam was sitting on the bed, hugging herself and looking disturbed.

''Sam, what's wrong?'' he asked worriedly as he sat next to her.

''I just feel cold,'' Sam replied tiredly.

''Did you have a nightmare?''

''Not really,'' Sam said. ''I… Could we talk about this tomorrow? I just want to go back to sleep.''

''Sure,'' Springtrap said as he stood up, with Sam lying down and pulling the blanket up. She glanced at him.

''Will?''

''What is it?'' Springtrap crouched next to her.

''You're staying with me, right?'' she asked, with Springtrap giving her a confused look.

''Of course I am, but why are you-''

''Why are you two still awake?! It's in the middle of the night!''

Springtrap stood up suddenly when Emma opened the door, looking furious. Sam also sat up, her and Springtrap exchanging nervous glances. Springtrap then turned to Emma, who was glaring at him.

''I-I was just checking on Sam,'' he said. ''Why are you awake?''

''I had realized that I forgot to lock the door,'' Emma replied, still annoyed. ''Did you lock it?''

''I did, and I was about to go back to my room,'' Springtrap replied.

''Okay, then. Just please don't roam around the house,'' Emma said as she pinched the bridge of her nose, looking quite tired. She then glanced at her daughter. ''Goodnight, Sam.''

''Goodnight, Mum,'' Sam replied, with Emma leaving. Sam turned to Springtrap. ''Did I miss something?''

''Well, when Emma returned, she was quite in a bad mood. She told me she punched somebody and broke their nose, so I guess they did something to anger her,'' Springtrap explained, shrugging.

''Oh,'' Sam muttered, not sounding really bothered by it. ''At least you two didn't get into an argument.''

''Yeah, lucky me,'' Springtrap said as he left. ''Goodnight!''

''Night!''

He closed the door behind him, walking back into his room and lied down on the couch, closing his eyes and sighing.

_At this point, I just wish I could fall sleep for once._


	30. Spring-Loaded Trap

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suggest you to read the last part of the chapter while listening to ''Lily's Theme'' from the Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows movie. You'll see why once you get to it. Also, please leave a review, as I am always happy to read those. Happy Halloween, folks!

**Night 29**

**Spring-Loaded Trap**

_''Sealed it away, they just hid their error, locked all the slain from sight. Spring-loaded traps that unleash their terror, how did he last five nights? Blast that audio, visuals are failing, cut the oxygen, vents are ailing. Systems need reboot, now you're sitting helpless, not an empty suit, coils compress. Now it's all burning, burying the nightmare, crumbling away, but the scars remain there. Smoke's licking the sky, crashing down to the floor, maybe it's safe now, salt the ground to be sure.''_

_– **Springtrap** by Madame Macabre_

**xXxXxXx**

It was a rather quiet Saturday morning at the Blackburn residence. Sam was staring tiredly at her breakfast, yawning. Emma, who seemed to be quite irritable, was drinking her second cup of coffee, reading the news on her phone. Springtrap was leaned against the table, resting his head on his arms as if trying to take a nap, but couldn't. It was more than obvious that none of them had a good night.

''Hey, Mum…'' Sam rose her voice, drawing Emma and Springtrap's attention. ''What had happened at the dinner with Cassie and Adam last night? Springtrap said that someone made you angry.''

Emma glared at Springtrap, who gave her a nervous glance, his ears lowering. She rubbed her temple, sighing.

''We were at the local diner and one of Adam's co-workers appeared. I have no idea what he was on or whether he was drinking or something like that, but he had suddenly started hitting on me,'' Emma said.

''What?'' Sam and Springtrap exclaimed in unison, having been stirred up out of their stupor by the sudden turn of events. Emma shrugged.

''I told him I wasn't interested in him and that I was uncomfortable about it, but he just wouldn't stop, so I had punched him. Rest assured, his face was a bloody mess,'' Emma added, taking a sip of coffee. ''Adam told me that he would report him to his boss for this incident, so he might get in trouble as he behaves similarly at his workplace.'' She grinned. ''Still, punching him was quite satisfying. Hopefully, he had learned his lesson.''

''I doubt that,'' Springtrap said. ''Some people never learn.''

''I assume you're talking from personal experience,'' Emma replied, still grinning. Springtrap frowned at first, a little annoyed, then smiled.

''Of course I do. After all, I did encounter some nasty people in my life,'' he replied, leaning against the chair and crossing his arms. Sam giggled about the insult backfire, while Emma just narrowed her eyes, then shrugged.

''Anyways, it's my day off, so I'm staying home today, trying to cure my headache,'' she added. ''What about you two?''

Springtrap glanced at Sam, who shrugged.

''Honestly, I'm not really sure, but we might need the car later on,'' she said. Emma sighed, reaching for the cupboard and taking a package of pills, feeling her headache worsening.

''Okay,'' she said as she took one. ''Anyways, while you're here, could you just please keep quiet? I want to get some rest.''

''Don't worry, we'll be in my room,'' Sam said. Emma nodded, placing the dishes into the dishwasher and went upstairs to her bedroom.

''She isn't the only one with a headache,'' Springtrap said as Sam glanced at him. ''Seems like we all had a rough night. Not to mention, there was also something you wanted to talk about, wasn't it?''

''Yeah,'' Sam sighed as she stood up and placed the bowl and spoon in the dishwasher. ''Let's go.''

The two went upstairs, quietly closing the door behind them. Sam then sat on her bed, leaning against the pillow, with Springtrap sitting on the other end of the bed, giving her a curious look as he remembered the events from last night.

''So, what happened last night?'' he asked. ''You looked quite disturbed when I found you.''

''That kid woke me up,'' Sam replied, with Springtrap frowning. ''I know.''

''I assume that kid demanded that you stop being friends with me,'' Springtrap said.

''Actually, they just questioned me why I was friends with you,'' Sam said. ''The kid also claimed you've been manipulating me and how you'll pay for making me suffer.''

''I'm sorry you had to go through that,'' Springtrap said, only to be surprised when he saw Sam's annoyed expression.

''Will, you don't have to apologize for that. I mean, I had already expected that that kid would try to confront me considering they hadn't achieved much with you,'' Sam replied. ''Although, one thing is sure. That kid is persistent and wants you to suffer even more than you did in Hell.''

''To be honest, I probably wouldn't really care that much if I had to go through that Hell again. A lot of things had happened the past week that are more significant that the fear of eternal punishment,'' Springtrap replied.

''Still, is it really necessary for this to go on forever?'' Sam asked, with Springtrap shrugging.

''No, but honestly, I have no idea what to do about this,'' he said. ''Besides, that kid won't listen to reason.''

''Exactly,'' Sam said. ''You hurt that kid and now they're fixated on the pain. I'm not saying that you don't deserve punishment, but I'm afraid that things might escalate. I know that that kid just wants to protect me, but they're just making everything worse.''

''Honestly, I don't know what to do about this, but I think that an angry spirit is the least of my problems,'' Springtrap said, leaning against the wall and with a reminiscing look on his expression. ''I met Henry again.''

''Really?'' Sam was surprised. ''What happened?''

''Well, I know now that he certainly isn't another hallucination,'' Springtrap said in an amused tone, with Sam smiling. He then lowered his head. ''We did talk, though. He told me that he was keeping an eye on me, as he doesn't trust me, and he's worried about your safety.''

''I appreciate that he's worried about me, but I'm fine,'' Sam said, noticing Springtrap staring at her injured arm. She glanced at it. ''Yeah, I think it has healed at this point.''

''Even if it did heal, that's exactly the reason why nobody trusts me whenever I'm with you, and honestly, I don't trust myself either.''

''William…''

''Still, that doesn't mean that I'm just going to throw away everything I managed to achieve at this point. Everything that happened is important to me,'' Springtrap said, tilting his head as he glanced at Sam. ''You're important to me.''

''I feel the same,'' Sam said. ''Besides, you're handling this situation much better than before. Sure, there are issues, but you're determined to continue without having another mental breakdown.''

''Henry had also noted that it's impressive how determined I get when I put my mind into something, no matter how crazy the situation is,'' Springtrap said, then sighed. ''Although, he's just frustrated that I'm back.''

''He has a good reason for that,'' Sam said, with Springtrap nodding. ''To me, it also sounds like he acknowledged your determination as a positive quality.''

''I guess that's at least something,'' Springtrap said bitterly. ''Courage, selflessness, self-sacrifice… It's not exactly what you would describe me. Unlike Henry, I'm a selfish, abusive coward.''

''Why are you saying that?'' Sam asked worriedly.

''Because it's the truth,'' Springtrap replied, frowning. ''Even though he did say, I know that he wanted to remind me of that. He's still a much better man than I am.''

''William…'' Sam muttered, with Springtrap giving her a somber look.

''He also feels as if it's his fault that I'm back, as if he had failed, even though these events have nothing to do with the past,'' he said. ''He isn't the only one who feels frustrated.''

''I believe that there's something else you're not telling me,'' Sam said, noticing the anxious look on his expression. Springtrap nodded, knowing that he had to tell her what he told Henry. Not to mention, he also knew that he had to tell the same to Emma, and he wasn't really excited about seeing her reaction.

''Sam, I did tell you that you're important to me and, as you said, we're basically best friends at this point,'' Springtrap said, unsure how to explain this to Sam. While he felt anxious about it, he figured that he should just be straightforward about it. ''Although, lately, I've been thinking about treating you as if you were my daughter.''

Sam stared at him, with Springtrap nervously anticipating her answer. She didn't look annoyed or stunned, but had a rather mildly-curious look on her expression.

''You know, I am glad that you admitted that, but wasn't it already obvious that you were acting as if you were my father? I mean, even Mum messed with you by suggesting that you planned to replace her as a parent. I know you said that that wasn't the case, but you were also quite uncomfortable with that idea,'' Sam said, smiling softly and tilting her head as she saw that he was still anxious and worried. ''Also, I'm fine with that.''

''I figured that you would be okay with it, but don't you think that it's wrong for me to act like this? Besides, Emma had also said that, considering how I was incapable of protecting my own family, why would she or you be fine with me taking care of you?'' Springtrap said, crestfallen. ''It shouldn't be like this. I should just forget about this whole idea.''

''Say, Will, what exactly made you decide to admit this to me?'' Sam asked, leaning forward.

''It was our talk about my family,'' Springtrap said. ''It just got me thinking. I know I was a complete failure as a father when it came to my children, but I figured that, perhaps, I could at least try to be a better father to you. However, I don't want you to think that you're a replacement or anything like that. I care about you and I just want you to feel comfortable with this. I know that you said that you were fine with it, but seriously, I won't mind if you tell me that you have changed your mind.''

''As I had said, I am glad that you told me everything,'' Sam replied. ''However, you still haven't convinced me to change my mind.''

''At this point, I'm not sure whether I even want to know what exactly I have to do or say to make you change your mind,'' Springtrap replied. ''Although, considering how your friends treated you in comparison to how I treat you, I understand why you're determined to keep me here. I'm not going to let you regret it.'' He shook his head lightly. ''Hell, I made this promise to Henry and Emma, and even to myself, so I better keep it, right?''

''Yeah,'' Sam said, nodding. ''Speaking of which, I am curious about your friendship with Henry. I mean, you did tell me about it, but it is obvious that it did mean something to you, else you wouldn't have been affected by the conversations you had with him.''

Springtrap sighed, leaning his head against the wall, closing his eyes.

''I feel like I shouldn't care at all about what he has to say, but I still find myself listening to him. In fact, I was actually glad to see him, although we did eventually get into an argument,'' he said, then leaned forward, staring ahead. ''Sometimes, I just feel as if something's wrong with me.''

''Didn't you say something similar when you destroyed the remnant?'' Sam said, with Springtrap giving her a bemused look. ''Anyways, aside from what happened, there's still another we need to discuss. I was actually thinking that we could pay a visit to the Machinations Factory tonight.''

''Do you have anything specific in mind?'' Springtrap asked.

''I'm not completely sure, but I do want to know what Connor is up to,'' Sam said. ''Considering what happened last time we met him, it is obvious that he's searching for you.''

''You know that I could just go and confront him,'' Springtrap told her. ''I know that you refused my suggestion last time because you wanted to confront him on your own and see what he knows.''

''Yeah, but this time, I think we'll go with your suggestion,'' Sam replied. ''Honestly, I just want this nightmare to end.''

''I hate to telling you this, but this nightmare will never end,'' Springtrap said, his eyes glowing purple.

**xXx**

Connor leaned his head against the table which was covered in paper scraps and metallic parts. He had spent the entire night at the factory working on the animatronics and, while did manage to get some sleep, he was still exhausted. He then leaned back on the chair, closing his eyes. He felt as if he was falling, half-asleep, half-awake.

_''Connor, I'm worried about you.''_

_''Then, you should understand how important this is to me.''_

_''Please, this has been going on for years. Don't you think that it's time to just… stop? You need to move on.''_

_''Move on from what? Bran, this experience is part of me and you know that.''_

_''Honestly, I'm not sure whether I can continue listening to that. I mean, I'm fine talking about your interests, but having to constantly talk about death is getting tiresome.''_

_''I see…''_ Connor still remembered the look Bran gave him when he heard the chilling tone in his voice. It was a look of terror.

_''Connor?''_

_''You know, it is always a thin line between life and death, and I want to talk on that life.''_

_''No offense, but you're crazy.''_

_''Am I?''_

Connor glanced at the Raven, sighing. He frowned.

''You wanted to leave, didn't you?'' he said. The animatronic kept quiet. ''I understand that it wasn't easy to listen to me, but I'm still grateful that you did.'' He smiled. ''I'm glad that you're still here.''

He waited in silence for an answer, frowning when he realized that there wouldn't be any. He rubbed his temple and stood up, feeling a headache. He gathered his things, then stopped, staring at Raven.

''Are you ever going to say anything?''

No answer. Connor stood there for a moment, staring at Raven, then walked out of that room.

_Everything had started here, didn't it?_

He remembered walking through the factory, having returned a few tools to their proper place and placing the switchblade he had used into his pocket. Afterwards, he found Bran in this exact room. He tilted his head as he observed the man inside the room curiously. He was rearranging the black, bird-like costume on the endoskeleton. He crossed his arms, waiting for Bran to acknowledge him.

_''Connor?''_

Connor noticed that Bran was startled by his presence. Bran stared at him, unsure what to say.

 _''So, is something wrong with the animatronic?''_ Connor asked, stepping towards him.

 _''No, not really,''_ Bran replied _. ''I just went to check on it. You know how Wolfrun Corporation wanted two animatronics that were both suits and robots?''_

_''Yes…''_

_''Well, if you ask me, Wolfrun Corporation is trying to copy Fazbear Entertainment,''_ Bran replied. _''However, according to what I know, Wolfrun Corporation didn't have these kinds of suits on mind. Apparently, Fazbear Entertainment had some kind of hybrid suits that worked as both animatronics and costumes.''_

 _''Really?''_ Connor rose his eyebrow. Bran shrugged.

 _''That's what I heard. They aren't using them anymore,''_ he said. Connor narrowed his eyes.

_''Do you think they have something to do with those supposed hauntings?''_

_''I don't know. Honestly, Connor, I don't want to talk about this anymore,''_ Bran said, looking a little exasperated. Ever since Connor had survived that car crash, he would constantly talk about any kind of event related to death. Bran figured that he could comply by telling him what he knew about Freddy's, as it seemed to have a rather mysterious and shady past. However, now he was regretting it.

 _''Well, I do,''_ Connor replied, sounding rather agitated. _''After all, I know that there is some kind of afterlife. I have already told you about it.''_

 _''You did, but I still doubt that something like animatronics becoming haunted is possible,''_ Bran said.

 _''I do believe that that's possible,''_ he said. _''It has to be.''_

 _''Honestly, I don't know what to tell you,''_ Bran said in a frustrated tone. Connor clenched his fist, glaring at Bran. He could feel the switchblade in his pocket. _''I'm not going to deal with this anymore.''_

 _''You know, death can be incredibly fascinating,''_ he said. Bran just shook his head and attempted to walk past Connor, but the latter stopped him.

_''Listen to me…''_

_''Let me leave!''_

_''No!''_

Just as Bran tried to push him away, Connor lunged at him, grabbing him by his neck and shoving him against the table. He then reached for his switchblade, only to find out that he wouldn't need it. He stared at Bran's seemingly lifeless body, which was lying on the floor, a pool of blood forming around his head. Connor realized that, during the struggle, Bran had hit his head on the edge of the table, probably cracking his skull open and now he was bleeding out.

Connor quickly crouched next to him, reaching for his neck to check his pulse, but then stopped. He frowned. He didn't want to know whether his friend was alive or dead. No matter what the outcome was, Bran would leave him. Connor knew that he couldn't let this happen. He glanced at the animatronic.

_Maybe…_

He walked over to it and dragged the robot towards Bran. He then took his switchblade out, using it to remove the part of the suit around the arm and hand, as well as making small cuts on Bran's arm, then pushed the animatronic's fingers into those cuts, with them digging deep into Bran's skin. He wanted to arrange the animatronic to look like as if it had malfunctioned, grabbing Bran by his arm with its sharp fingers and knocking him over. He then stepped back, staring at the two blankly. He didn't feel anything.

_It was an accident…_

Connor frowned as he closed the door and taking the earpiece out.

_It was an accident, that's what everyone said. However, shortly after that, the animatronic started to attack other people, having even injured another of my co-workers. They attributed those attacks to the animatronic malfunctioning and wanted to scrap it._

A bitter smile formed on his lips.

_However, I knew the truth. The violent behavior the animatronic showed wasn't a result of malfunctions. Instead, Bran Crawford's soul had become attached to the Raven. I knew that he wouldn't be gone. I had to hide him._

He was quite proud of his achievement. Even though Bran couldn't talk to him anymore, he could still listen. Connor would visit him as much as possible, especially after the factory had been shut down. He felt that his old friend needed some company, so he started to create his own animatronics, while making sure none of them would escape. At the same time, he also tried to find out what exactly kept Bran's soul here. The only thing that frustrated him was that, while his creations were getting better and more elaborate, he still had no idea how to tie the soul to an animatronic.

_I'll figure it out eventually. After all, they need souls as well._

As he passed through the area with the conveyor belt, he could hear steps behind him. He didn't pay any attention to it, leaving through the main entrance. He had other things on mind and he knew that they go anywhere unless he ordered them that.

Just as he left, a tall, slender figure stepped into the room, its eyes glowing as it flexed its fingers and scanned the room. All this figure knew was that its purpose was to patrol this building and kill any intruder. That's what they were programmed for.

**xXx**

The silence was broken by a mad laughter. He knew that he had won and he didn't care about the consequences. All that mattered was that he managed to outsmart them again, showing them how helpless they were against him. He would always come back and there was nothing they could do.

Then, he felt it. The spring lock snapped, coming loose and piercing his skin and flesh, closing in on him like a bear trap. He screamed in pain, only for him to suddenly gurgle, his voice drowning in the blood as his vocal cords got severed. The whole suit was shaking as he was ripped apart by the metal and plastic, his organs being punctured and teared. He fell down on the floor, occasionally twitching and staring blankly ahead. Blood was flowing around him, staining the matted suit and filling his lungs. It was a slow, agonizing death.

All he couldn't think of was the previous spring-lock failure he had experienced. He made it out alive, albeit scarred. This time, he knew that he wouldn't survive, but he didn't care either. He wanted this. Despite the anguish, he still managed to smile. His vision slowly became blurry as he observed the five children in front of him. They hoped that he would finally perish, but he knew that that wouldn't be the case. They would never win.

He tried to laugh as darkness overtook him, but the only thing that could be heard was a gurgling sound as he drowned in his own blood. Then, he was no more.

**xXx**

Springtrap shuddered at the memory. Even though he did embrace his death, he still wasn't comfortable with being reminded of the agony he went through to achieve this state.

''You know, it's still insane that you willingly went through this,'' Sam said.

''As I have already told you, I can't think clear when I panic,'' Springtrap replied. ''Besides, the Spring Bonnie suit may have been a deathtrap, but it did prove useful.''

''Only to you,'' Sam said in a deadpan tone, with Springtrap lowering his head. ''I mean, you told me that everyone else who attempted to wear it suffered from severe injuries or had even died.''

''To be honest, the Spring Bonnie suit didn't really claim many victims as I was the one who would usually wear it,'' Springtrap replied, hoping to cheer Sam up.

''I'm not sure whether I should be comforted by that thought, considering the reason why you used it,'' Sam said in a chilling tone. Springtrap's ears lowered, with him feeling a pit in his stomach. Sam tilted her head, adding, ''Besides, why would you even want to make such deadly suits?''

''I told you that they were Henry's idea, although we both worked on them,'' Springtrap explained. ''They were supposed to be practical, not deadly; and they actually were, if you knew how to handle them. If the suit was well maintained, the chance of the spring locks coming loose was low.''

''So, what went wrong?'' Sam asked.

''The moment Henry or I were out of picture, people stopped caring. We made a set of rules about how the suits were supposed to be handled, but it was obvious that those guys from Fazbear Entertainment weren't listening,'' Springtrap explained. ''You already know that it didn't end well for them.''

''Yeah, but it's not like they didn't try to bring Freddy's back to its former glory. Ironically, this time it was you and Henry who had the final word, considering what happened at Fazbear's Fright and Henry's fake location,'' Sam pointed out. ''I do hope they won't mess the new location up.''

''That remains to be seen,'' Springtrap said.

''Speaking of which,'' Sam leaned against the pillow, ''I still feel that it would've been awesome had Fazbear's Fright stayed open.''

''Even with a murderous animatronic roaming around?'' Springtrap's eyes glowed purple as he saw Sam's smile disappearing. ''Exactly. However, I don't think that the location would've lasted long enough regardless of the fire. Either Henry or I would've shut it down in our own way.''

''It must've been shocking for you to see him there,'' Sam said.

''It was at first, as I didn't expect to see him again,'' Springtrap said, briefly pausing. ''Also, I believe that he felt the same when he saw me, especially after realizing that I was dead.''

He could still remember the look of disbelief on Henry's expression as it dawned him who exactly was standing across him, with only a glass panel separating him. The animatronic he was trying to keep away was no one else but his deceased friend, now suffering the same fate as the children he murdered.

_''What have you become?''_

Springtrap recalled the brief flash of pity on Henry's expression, knowing that his old friend wouldn't wish such horrific fate on anyone, but it was gone in the next moment, when he realized that Springtrap wasn't some kind of mindless animatronic and that the true monster was in control of the robot. The following nights turned into a game of survival, with Springtrap attempting to hunt Henry down and murder him.

''He was horrified to see me like this,'' Springtrap added. ''But, once he realized that I was out there to murder him, he knew that he had to get rid off me, one way or another, and the fire at Fazbear's Fright gave him the idea how to do that.''

''It may not have stopped you, but it did damage the suit, didn't it?'' Sam said.

''Yeah, it did. The substitute suit I made wasn't exactly the best, but it was enough for me to get by,'' Springtrap added, with Sam giggling. He gave her a confused look. ''What is it?''

''Nothing really,'' Sam replied, still smiling. ''I just thought about how unusually different it was... Scraptrap.''

Springtrap crossed his arms, frowning and leaning over.

''You know, it wasn't that easy to rebuild a damaged suit,'' he told her, his eyes glowing purple.

Sam tried to look serious, but the amusement she felt still lingered on her expression. He didn't blame her, aware that the suit he used after wasn't exactly the greatest in appearance, but nevertheless, it did the job. He also managed to repair the voice box and fully take control over the suit rather than having an annoying AI force him to follow the programming.

_''You may not recognize me at first, but I assure you, it's still me.''_

''In any case, Scrap Baby, Molten Freddy and I tried to get into Henry's fake restaurant- I know I'm an idiot for knowing it was a trap and entering the place regardless,'' Springtrap interrupted Sam just as she opened her mouth to comment on it. ''I actually expected to find some kind of exit.''

''Not that you did,'' Sam said sarcastically. ''However, you did encounter Michael.''

''It wasn't exactly the family reunion everyone hoped for,'' Springtrap replied, recalling the small, dark room he was placed in.

It was just him and a man he saw earlier when he was brought here. He was covered in bandages, with a baseball cap placed low, obscuring his eyes. They were both listening to a tape Henry had left, following by strange noises. The man would occasionally glance down, writing something on the piece of paper and look up, staring at the animatronic.

_''Father…''_

He had grown agitated when he realized who exactly brought him here. He was stunned and attempted to reach for Michael, only to find himself tazed. He didn't know whether his son was mocking him or was just following the instructions he had been given. However, he did know that this wouldn't be the last time they would see each other.

''I never expected to see him again,'' Springtrap admitted. ''Looking back now, I don't think I felt anything, aside from the constant bloodlust.''

''Honestly, I am glad that you've been lured into that trap, because who knows what would've happened if you didn't,'' Sam said.

''I agree with you, even though I hated Henry for trapping us,'' Springtrap replied, his eyes flaring purple as he remembered the inferno consuming the building. He recalled the feeling of horror as he realized that he was trapped inside a maze, with fire surrounding him. He knew that this was the end and that he couldn't do anything about it. It didn't help that he was listening to Henry's last message ominously echoing through the building.

 _''Although, for_ one _of you, the darkest pit of Hell has opened to swallow you whole, so don't keep the Devil waiting,_ old friend _.''_

''Not that it lasted long…'' he muttered, frowning.

''Will?'' Springtrap glanced at Sam, noticing her worried expression.

''It's okay,'' he said in a comforting tone. ''What I meant to say is that, while Henry was right about me landing in Hell, I still came back, and, as I had promised you, I'm going to stay.'' He glanced at his suit. ''Still, I didn't really expect to end up in another animatronic suit. Although, this one isn't that bad as it's-''

''Cute?'' Sam said, grinning sheepishly.

''Actually, I meant that it's practical as it isn't torn or damaged in an way,'' Springtrap replied in a deadpan tone, his eyes flaring purple as he leaned over, with Sam looking creeped out. ''Besides, this doesn't mean that I'm less dangerous. You know that my _modus operandi_ was to gain people's trust, only to murder them later.''

''Yeah, I am aware of that,'' Sam muttered. Springtrap's eyes stopped glowing as he tilted his head, a look of guilt on his expression.

''Still, that doesn't mean that I don't regret what I did. It's kind of insane that it took me going through Hell and several conversations with you to realize that,'' he said, seemingly reminiscing. ''To be honest, I am glad that you know what happened.''

The look Sam gave him was a mix of worry and curiosity, with Springtrap petting her on the head in an assuring manner, even though Sam was still suspicious when he backed away. However, all Springtrap thought about was the conversation he had with Henry.

_''What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind this time?''_

_You know, Henry, there are some things that shouldn't be forgotten._ Springtrap's eyes glowed in a soft purple. _You were right not to trust me._

**xXx**

''Davis!''

Connor sighed as he heard the manager calling out for him. He was busy fixing and cleaning Quentin, as a few kids spilled their soda on him. However, Connor was convinced that they purposely threw the soda at the animatronic when he didn't do something they wanted. The fact that one of the parents started to complain about the animatronic didn't help.

''Yes, sir?'' Connor glanced at his manager, who was staring at him impatiently.

''We have two upcoming birthday parties on the same day and I was told that they wanted to rent the animatronics for the private party,'' he said.

''Have they specified which ones they want?'' Connor asked.

''Both want Ricky, so you will have to jump in. Also, one party wants the swan animatronic and the other one wants the cat,'' the manager added.

''I understand,'' Connor said, with the manager leaving.

Connor continued working on Quentin, frowning as he thought about the birthday parties. He knew that the animatronics wouldn't leave those parties in the best conditions and was already thinking about how to make them kid-proof.

However, while annoyed, he also saw this as an opportunity. Considering what he had achieved, he knew that he wouldn't even have to dress up as Ricky for the birthday party, as he had a spare endoskeleton back at the factory which he could use. Not to mention, he had finally perfected the programming he was working on so he was certain that the animatronics would listen to him. That would allow him to roam freely through the building without having other employees looking for him.

Another thing that was on his mind was the fact that, if Spring Bonnie was indeed William Afton, he needed to somehow get his attention. He had no idea where he, or that teen, was, so he needed to do something to force him to return here. He glanced at the animatronic, grinning.

_Maybe an accident would lure him out._

**xXx**

Springtrap stared at the black device he had taken away from the Raven. It was now late evening and Sam told him that they would leave soon. She also wanted to pack some things that she figured would be necessary for tonight, so Springtrap went to his room to take the device, feeling it might help them.

He then went downstairs, still clutching the device in his hand, and waited for Sam in the hallway. Emma, who had recovered from her headache, was sitting on the couch, watching TV. Springtrap glanced at her nervously, knowing that he needed to admit his idea to Emma. He was afraid of her response, but knew that it would get worse if he kept it a secret. He shivered as he recalled the last time he and Sam let Emma figure out on her own what they were hiding.

''So, you two are leaving?'' Springtrap was startled when Emma suddenly addressed him, despite the fact that she didn't look angry or anything like that.

''Yeah, and I promise I'll keep an eye on Sam,'' Springtrap replied, a feeling of dread spreading through his chest as he wondered how to explain the situation to Emma. He then noticed Emma glaring at his suspiciously, with the feeling of dread worsening. _Stop being such a coward and tell her already!_

''Is there something you want to tell me?'' Emma asked, with Springtrap realizing that the reason why she was suspicious was because he was staring blankly at her the whole time. _I really need to do something about this. I'm acting like an idiot._ He sighed.

''I wanted to tell you that you were right about me acting like I'm Sam's father,'' he admitted anxiously. ''I kind of considered the idea…''

He trailed off when Emma stood up, glaring at him. To say that she wasn't happy about what he just told her was an understatement. He backed away, glad that he was dead, because it looked like Emma was about to kill him then and there.

''I-I know it's wrong of me to act like this…'' he added quickly.

''What exactly makes you think that you're fit to even act as if you're Sam's father?'' Emma said in a threatening tone. Springtrap shivered, wishing that she was yelling at him instead, as he was more afraid of the tranquil fury she had shown. He lowered his head.

''It was just an idea…'' he muttered, trying to avoid Emma's glare.

''Remember what I have told you?'' Emma asked, with Springtrap nodding.

''I still have a lot to improve as a person, don't I?'' he said.

''At least you admitted it,'' Emma said, still glaring at him, her arms crossed. ''However, it would be better for you to not bring up this topic again, Afton.''

''I'm sorry…'' Springtrap knew that he needed to shut up before he made this situation worse. He knew that Emma was only tolerating him because of Sam and him trying to make any suggestions that would anger her was a death sentence. Not to mention, she was indeed right, as he really hadn't done anything that proved that he could be a responsible parent. Just keeping Sam happy wasn't enough.

''Hey, Spring, are you coming?''

Emma and Springtrap turned to Sam, who seemed to be quietly waiting for them to end their argument. Both felt a little awkward, realizing that she had heard everything. Springtrap then nodded, quietly joining her, with the two leaving the house.

_Just how do I manage to always mess things up?!_

**xXx**

_''Carry my soul into the night, may the stars light my way. I glory in the sight, as darkness takes the day…''_

Springtrap stared through the window at the landscape as Sam was driving them to the factory. He was quiet the whole time, listening to the music Sam put on, the song that played being _In Noctem_ from the movie _Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince. _He and Sam hadn't talked at all the whole ride and he figured that Sam decided not to bother him about his conversation with Emma. The whole situation just felt sort of embarrassing. Not to mention, he still had to deal with other things, especially now that he knew that Henry was also keeping an eye on him. Suddenly, something drew his attention.

''Sam, could you please stop the car?''

''Sure,'' Sam said, looking over at the place Springtrap was staring at. It was the local cemetery.

She rose an eyebrow as she parked the car nearby, wondering what Springtrap was up to this time. She also hoped that they wouldn't be seen. She then exited the car along with Springtrap, the latter staring at the entrance, only to going inside, with Sam following him. She wondered if there was any specific grave he wanted to visit, especially since he looked as if he knew where he was going.

Sam looked around, noticing her grandparents' graves further away and remembering how she and her mother would visit their graves every year on All Saints' Day to light candles, put flowers and even pray for their souls. Sure, her mother didn't have exactly the greatest relationship with her parents, but she would still come here to pay her respects. Sam never really asked her about it, guessing that her mother may have had some regrets about things ending up like this. She also noticed that the grass needed to be trimmed and there were also flowers that would be considered weed growing around the place. She glanced at Springtrap again, who seemed to be determined to find whatever he was searching for.

Springtrap didn't pay any attention to the newer graves, going deeper and deeper into the cemetery. There was a feeling of emptiness spreading through his chest as he started to recognize this part of the cemetery. He wasn't sure why he was doing this, but he knew that he was close to them. In the end, he found the two small graves he was searching for. It was quite dark and he had to step closer to read the names on the tombstones, but he already knew what was written on them.

_Elizabeth… Sammy…_

He stared at the graves, somehow alive and knowing that the bodies of his own children were buried beneath. Even though he knew where they were, he never visited their final resting place.

_They're gone… Nothing can bring them back…_

Something inside him just broke. He clenched his fist, unable to feeling anything but that cold sense of emptiness which was gradually consuming his mind and soul. Blood started to form on the corner of his eyes, which were glowing in a soft purple. He recalled what Emma told him, feeling a pit in his stomach.

_This is your reward for all the horrors you had done. What makes you believe that there won't be another grave?_

He closed his eyes, torn between his desire to put the past behind him and the fact that there was no way that he could do that. It would always haunt him.

''Will…'' He felt Sam tugging his arm and glanced at her, stunned to see her holding two tiny bouquets she made out of the weed flowers that were growing in the cemetery. ''I know they're not much…'' she added, glancing at a nearby grave that had several, elaborately designed flower wreaths placed on it, ''but I thought that it wouldn't be a bad thing to put them on their graves…''

Sam was startled when Springtrap suddenly hugged her.

''You're amazing…'' he whispered, with Sam smiling compassionately as she hugged him back. She knew that this meant a lot to him. Springtrap then let go of her, taking the bouquets from Sam and placing them on the graves. The two then looked at the graves in silence, with Sam glancing at Springtrap, who sighed. He then looked at her, nodding, with Sam knowing that it was time to leave.

However, as they walked through the cemetery, Springtrap's attention was drawn by two other graves. He stopped, stepping closer. Sam joined him, realizing that those two graves were Henry and Charlie's. She glanced at Springtrap, whose expression was unreadable. However, it did seem that he was affected by seeing their graves. Sam meanwhile noticed another lone grave further away, checking on it. Her eyes widened as she realized whose grave it was.

''Will, look at this,'' she called out for him. Springtrap joined her, only to be surprised by what he saw.

''Michael Afton,'' he muttered.

''I guess that he used his actual name for during his stay at the last location,'' Sam said. ''Considering only he and Henry perished, it wouldn't have been hard to figure out who the other person was that they needed to bury once they checked the names of the employees.''

''You're right,'' Springtrap said, only to suddenly see Sam picking flowers again and hand them over to him. Instead of one, she made three bouquets, placing them on Michael, Henry and Charlie's graves. The two then stepped back, with Springtrap feeling a little strange about this.

He had been used to the knowledge of being able to tie spirits to some kind of contraption to keep them here, often forgetting that, once a person dies, they're gone. Sure, he knew that there was some kind of afterlife, but not everyone believed that. If things weren't like this, he too probably would've believed that there was nothing for him after death.

''I know that cemeteries aren't usually the greatest places to visit, unless you're into creepy stuff,'' Sam said, drawing his attention. ''However, visiting one during the night, when everyone came to pay their respects to the deceased, you can see hundreds of candles lit, making it look like a sea of light. I would always tell my Mum that it felt as if those lights were the souls of the dead that came to visit the living,'' she looked at Springtrap. ''In a way, this kind of experience is both haunting and beautiful.''

Springtrap nodded, glancing back at the graves and sighing as he tried to calm down.

_Some things cannot be forgotten, nor forgiven…_

''Let's go,'' he told Sam, who followed him back to the gate. Springtrap frowned as he closed it, looking back at the graves, some of which had candles flickering. It wasn't a sea of light, but it did feel as if someone was still there, unsure whether to move on or not.

_I shouldn't be rushing into making decisions. Despite everything that happened, I am still at a crossroad._


	31. The Hunt

**Night 30**

**The Hunt**

_''Pain, it makes my way to start the breath, and feel the world, where I am not alone! I broke the heart, I shedin' blood! I crush your life! To make myself alive!''_

_– **The Hunt** by MiaRissyTV_

**xXxXxXx**

Sam looked up at the factory and glanced at it's surroundings. It seemed that no one, except for her and Springtrap, was here, which made her feel relieved, as she hoped that Connor wouldn't be here tonight. After parking the car at a secluded area near the factory, she and Springtrap exited it, with Springtrap carrying the small black device he got from Raven, and went towards the factory.

''You know, I could put that into my backpack,'' Sam told him. Springtrap shook his head.

''I'd rather carry it around,'' he said. ''We know that Connor is working on creating new animatronics and considering that this device can render animatronics barely functional, it would be a good idea to have it on hand.''

''The only problem with this idea is that it also affects you,'' Sam said, stopping and extending her hand. ''Seriously, Springtrap, it would be smarter if I keep it, as it doesn't hurt me. I'll just keep it in my pocket.''

Springtrap glanced at the device in his palm, then reluctantly gave it to Sam.

''You have a point. If I activate this thing, I won't be able to do much, unlike you,'' he said. ''Speaking of which, we should stay together this time. We have no idea what Connor was doing since the last time we were here and I don't want to risk anything.''

''Okay,'' Sam nodded, placing the device into her pocket and taking out her flashlight. They reached the air-vent which they used to enter the factory, with Sam leading the way. ''Hopefully we will find something that might help us to deal with Connor.''

''I'd be more worried about whether there is something waiting for us inside this place,'' Springtrap replied dryly. ''Somehow, it's ironical that amidst all of the insanity with the haunted animatronics and murders, it's actually a human who is the source of this ongoing madness.''

''Are you talking about Connor, or about yourself?'' Sam asked, briefly turning around and glancing at him. Springtrap stared back at her, then sighed, his eyes glowing in a soft purple.

''I really need to learn to keep my mouth shut,'' he muttered. Sam smiled.

''Honestly, I'd enjoy having another conversation with you, but this is not the time nor place for that,'' she replied. The two exited the air-vent, finding themselves in a hallway, with Sam turning the flashlight on. ''Okay, now we need to be careful.''

''I suggest we go to that workshop room to see whether Connor assembled any of the animatronics,'' Springtrap said. Sam nodded, with the two walking down the hallway. While they already knew how to get there, they were still cautious, with Springtrap listening to any kind of sound that was out of place, completely alert to his surroundings.

While one of the reasons he attentive was because he had no idea what Connor might've left for them, the other was Sam. The last few times they went somewhere together, be it Ricky's, Freddy's, Circus Baby's or even at her own home, she got harmed in some way, often because of him failing to think ahead of the possible dangers. However, at the same time, there were rarely any actual dangers present, especially at Freddy's and Circus Baby's, as he was the one who hurt her in some way while they were there. However, this only fueled his desire to get her out of this place unharmed. He was desperate to learn from his mistakes and knew that he couldn't allow himself to fail by letting her get injured again.

_Sam is my responsibility._

He had a promise to keep, and after his experience at the cemetery, as well as the conversation with Emma and Henry he had, he knew that this wasn't just him proving that he was capable of becoming a better person. He wasn't perfect and he was far from a good person, murderer just being one of the reasons for that statement. He had a feeling that Emma and Henry believed that he was taking everything for granted, even though he wasn't. Aside from listening to them admonishing him and expressing disapproval, he would constantly remind himself that everything he gained now could easily be taken away from him the moment he does something wrong.

There was always that little voice in the back of his head that would constantly reprimand him and criticize every choice he made, which, coupled with the lecturing he would get from Henry, Emma and that spirit, caused him to live in a constant state of stress, fear and anxiety. He knew that Henry and Emma were being reasonable by questioning him about his decisions, as they knew well that he was still mentally and emotionally unstable, despite his attempts to show that he was improving.

William was aware that his desire to recover from the damage he suffered wouldn't be enough, and that it would take a lot of time and energy to stop fearing that his next step would be his last one. However, there was something all of them agreed on; and that was the fact that William was notoriously resilient. No matter how difficult the situation was, he would always to manage to get back on his feet, and he honestly wished they would give him more credit for that feat.

The only thing that was keeping him from completely losing his mind was Sam. She was the one person who, despite knowing what he had done in the past and how dangerous he was, offered him a chance to redeem himself. As Henry said, if it weren't for her, William wouldn't be here now. Still, despite accepting her offer, William still doubted that he would ever manage to atone for what he had done, and instead focused on a different objective, which also involved Sam.

_This is what Henry was afraid of…_

His eyes flared up purple briefly, with him sighing in order to calm himself down. He knew he had to get a grip on himself, as he had no one else but himself to blame for this situation. He couldn't risk another mistake.

''William?''

He glanced at her, realizing he once again got lost in his thoughts, not paying attention to his surroundings. _Damn it, that was the one thing I was supposed to do…_

''I know that there's something that's bothering you,'' Sam said. ''If you want to talk about it, I'm here…'' She then stopped walking, looking at both sides of the hallway and glancing back at Springtrap. ''Although, I doubt that this is the best place for another conversation.''

''I'm sorry,'' Springtrap replied in a regretful tone. ''I know that I need to focus on getting through this building, but I'm on edge because I feel stressed out.''

''Is it because of what happened at the cemetery?'' Sam asked in a worried tone.

''It's not just that, it's everything what I've gone through,'' Springtrap explained. ''Every time I believe I did something right, something occurs that shows me that it means nothing compared to what I have done in the past. Seeing those graves was just the icing on the cake.''

''You know, it meant a lot to me that you agreed to stay,'' Sam said in an encouraging tone. ''I guess that's at least something.''

''When you think about it, it isn't, considering that I hurt you several times,'' Springtrap replied in a somber tone, looking at Sam's arm. She had removed the bandages, and while most of it seemed to have healed, she'd probably have some faint scars left. ''Sometimes I feel as if I'm not making any progress at all. I'm still stuck in the same mindset I had when I returned here.''

''I do believe that you did make some kind of progress,'' Sam replied, with Springtrap giving her a curious look. ''Seriously, would you ever show any kind of regret if you didn't?''

''I suppose I wouldn't,'' Springtrap said after a moment of silence. He tilted his head, gazing at her in admiration. He then frowned, the warmth he briefly felt replaced by an icy sensation in his chest. He looked away, staring blankly at the dark hallway and closing his eyes. ''Still, this doesn't change the reason why I have been forsaken by everyone I knew.''

''You're not completely forsaken,'' Sam replied, with Springtrap glancing at her. ''I'm still here.''

''I know and, as much as I appreciate your support, I believe that there are some issues I need to deal with on my own,'' Springtrap replied, frowning. ''Besides, Emma was right about me not being in the right mental state to make any kind of decisions that would affect you. I'm just rushing ahead as usual.''

''Not to mention, you told me that you can't think clearly when you panic,'' Sam said. ''However, in this situation, you're influenced by your own insecurities.''

''Exactly,'' Springtrap muttered. ''If I don't deal with that issue first, I will never be able to move on.''

Suddenly, there was a loud clang, as if something fell over. Startled, Sam and Springtrap looked down the corridor, Springtrap's eyes instantly flaring up purple, his ears twitching as he and Sam anxiously waited for any other kind of noise. There wasn't any.

''What was that?'' Sam muttered, pointing her flashlight at the end of the hallway.

''I'm not sure,'' Springtrap replied. ''Although, I guess we'll find out soon.''

The two continued walking down the hallway, now completely focused on getting through the building to the room with the animatronic parts. Springtrap had the uncanny feeling that things would only get worse once they find out what exactly they were dealing with now. He glanced at Sam, who was staring down the hallway with a determined look on her expression, despite the hint of fear in her eyes. It was more than clear that she was taking this investigation seriously.

They quietly made their way to the room with the conveyor belt, with Springtrap slightly opening the door and peeking inside, making sure there was no one there before entering it. Sam followed him, looking around anxiously as if expecting an animatronic to suddenly appear and jumpscare them. They managed to enter the hallway that led to the rooms with the animatronic parts and the boiler room. Springtrap glanced at Sam.

''Where now?'' he whispered.

''I want to see whether Raven is still there,'' Sam said, pointing towards the boiler room at the end of the corridor. ''We can work up from there.''

Springtrap nodded, following her to the boiler room. However, the moment they opened the door, they noticed that Raven was gone and that the room was devoid of any evidence that there had been an animatronic lying there. Sam felt a little disappointed and closed the door, going towards the closest room.

This one wasn't empty, as there were two endoskeletons leaned against the wall, with several boxes lying in the corner. Sam went over to the boxes, while Springtrap checked the endoskeletons. They were the same ones they saw earlier, one being covered in blood smears, while the other had its head torn off. However, they now had more parts ripped off, with wires dangling where the missing piece had been. Springtrap had to wonder whether Connor decided to quit working on them, as they haven't shown any activity he desired, figuring that these two would be scrapped and their parts used for other purposes. He then joined Sam, who was checking one of the boxes.

''They're all filled with animatronic parts,'' she said when he crouched next to her. ''I guess Connor decided to clean up the mess we saw last time we were here.''

''You know, Henry and I used to do the same,'' Springtrap said, with Sam giving him a curious look. ''I meant that, when we would build an animatronic, if we were dissatisfied with it, we would scrap it for parts in order to reuse them. Henry used to tell me that he didn't want to be wasteful and that everything could be salvaged.''

''I see,'' Sam muttered as she closed the box and opened another one. Her eyes widened as she saw the contents of the box. It was a Ricky Wolfrun costume, with small blood splatters on it. ''I don't think this is Connor's blood.''

''Well, at least we found the costume he used to kill the security guard,'' Springtrap said as she closed the box. ''I guess we should move on and see whether there's anything else.''

''Yeah,'' Sam nodded as they got up. ''Say, don't you think that is a bit too quiet?''

''Now that you mention it…'' Springtrap muttered as he walked up to the door and peeked into the hallway. ''No one's there. I guess that, whoever we heard is probably at the other side of the building.''

''Then we should quickly check the other rooms and leave this place,'' Sam said. The two walked out of the room and entered the next one. This room had Raven in it, as well as a blood-covered endoskeleton that was completely torn apart.

''At least we found Raven,'' Springtrap said as Sam ran over to the endoskeleton that had been torn apart, with the pieces scattered all across the room.

''Yeah, and I guess that this is the one that Connor used for Bella,'' she said as she examined it. The flesh and the heart that adorned the animatronic had been removed. ''What the hell happened?''

''I can only assume that Connor decided to vent out his frustrations on the endoskeleton,'' Springtrap replied as he looked around. Suddenly, Raven started to twitch and trash, looking as if he was being electrocuted. Sam stepped away from him nervously, while Springtrap got closer, crouching in front of him.

''Are you completely sure that the soul of the guy who died isn't attached to the animatronic?'' Sam asked.

''I am,'' Springtrap said, glancing at her briefly. ''The soul that had inhabited Raven is gone, and all what is left are probably memories that are attached to the animatronic AI.''

He tilted his head, his eyes glowing in a soft purple. While he knew that Raven was a soulless robot, he seemed to be quite in pain. _I could end his misery, though…_ Springrap frowned as Raven calmed down, then stood up, still staring at the animatronic. _Or perhaps, Connor should face the consequences of his actions…_

''I think we should go and check the other rooms,'' Springtrap said, turning to Sam.

''Okay,'' Sam muttered, curious about what he was planning to do now. She followed him to another room, and as he opened the door, noticed the stunned look on his expression. She too then looked at the room, being surprised by what she saw. The room was filled with animatronics parts and there was an endoskeleton sitting in the corner, looking quite new. However, that wasn't what the two were staring at.

In front of them were two unfinished animatronics hanging from hooks on the wall. One of them was a nightmarish version of Chica, having a torso filled with holes, seemingly mimicking an actual ribcage. A huge cloth was tied around her neck, saying ''LET'S EAT!'' in huge letters. Her head was less bulky than that of the Chica they knew and she had no eyes, with glass covering the holes where her eyeballs should've been. She had long legs, with parts of the endoskeleton not even being covered, her toes ending up in sharp talons. She also lacked any arms.

The other animatronic was a rather creepy version of Foxy. His head was smaller than regular Foxy's head and had spikes on it, and his mouth was filled with rows of sharp teeth. The eye-patch was sewn into his eye-socket by metallic cables, just like the top of his chest. His torso was exposed, showing his endoskeleton under the torn fur. One of his clawed legs, the one covered in red matted fur, was screwed into his pelvis in the same manner Chica's legs were. The other leg, which was lacking the fur, was lying on the ground next to Foxy's other arm. The one that had been attached to his shoulder had a huge scythe taking up the lower part of his elbow, the scythe being double the size of Foxy's head. Just like with Chica, Foxy also had an empty eye-socket.

''Bloody hell, I didn't expect that,'' Springtrap muttered, feeling shocked by their discovery. He stepped closer to examine them. They were slightly taller than he was. ''Seems like this is what Connor was working on the whole time.''

''Um, Spring…'' Springtrap turned to Sam, who gave him a nervous look. ''If Foxy and Chica are here, where the hell are Freddy and Bonnie?''

Suddenly, they heard scraping sounds coming from outside the room. Springtrap quickly went over to the door, trying to hear whether anyone was in the hallway. There were scraping sounds again, but it didn't seem like they were coming from the hallway, so he opened the door and peeked outside, realizing that the noise was coming from the room with the conveyor belt. He turned back to Sam, who had a worried look on her expression.

''We're trapped here,'' he said. ''They're in the room outside the hallway, and I fear that they might decide to check this area.''

''So, what are we supposed to do now?'' Sam asked. ''I mean, we need to get out, but if Freddy and Bonnie are patrolling outside, it won't be easy to get past them.''

''You know, we could use that device to mess with their programming,'' Springtrap said, with Sam shaking her head.

''Springtrap, you don't know at what frequency they are working,'' she said. ''That device won't only incapacitate them, but you as well; that is, if it works on them.''

''You're right,'' Springtrap said, frowning. ''I do wonder what their reaction would be to seeing another animatronic. I could distract them in order for you to escape.''

''I'm not leaving you-'' Sam cut herself off as she heard the scraping sounds again, followed by a door being shut. This time, they were much louder, seemingly coming from the hallway. She backed away from the door, her heart racing, while Springtrap stood in front of her. Both were anxious, anticipating one of those nightmarish animatronics to barge into the room. However, the animatronic outside walked past them, and they could hear another door further down the hallway open. They realized that this was their chance to escape.

Springtrap quickly opened the door, turning to the other end of the hallway and noticing a brown figure entering the boiler room. Sam joined him in the hallway, turning to the exit, when the bear animatronic suddenly returned to the hallway, seeing them. His eyes were glowing as he let out an inhuman screech.

''Run!''

Sam darted towards the exit, with Springtrap following her, and slammed the door open, stumbling into the room with the conveyor belt. Springtrap shut the door behind them, hearing a loud thud sound a few seconds later, with the animatronic behind the door scratching and snarling like a wild animal as Springtrap kept it shut.

However, before they had time to react, they heard another animalistic snarl, with both of them looking at the source, shocked to see a lavender bunny glaring back at them from the other end of the room. The animatronic suddenly lunged at Sam, completely ignoring Springtrap.

''Sam!''

Suddenly, the door behind him slammed open, knocking him on the ground as the nightmarish version of Freddy entered the room. Springtrap turned around, staring at Freddy as the latter slowly approached him, tilting his head, his blank eyes glowing in the darkness. This Freddy was sharing the same black top hat as the Freddy Springtrap knew, although his black bowtie was made out of light fabric, tied around his neck. His head was narrow and his torso had stitches, with cables tying the chest to the stomach area. Four hoses dug into his shoulders, connected to a pair of gas tanks on his back, and his arms had holes in them. Springtrap realized that this is where the makeshift flamethrower went.

He tried to get up, only for this twisted version of Freddy to grab his throat with his clawed hand and slam him on the floor, pinning him down. Springtrap's eyes flared purple in fear and frustration as he realized just how strong this animatronic was. Freddy then leaned over closer, seemingly curious about Springtrap, only for the latter to kick his chest. Freddy let him go, staggering back, with Springtrap using the moment of distraction to get up  and look around for a weapon. He managed to grab a metal pipe that was lying underneath the conveyor belt and swung it at Freddy's head, with the animatronic getting knocked down on the ground.

As Springtrap stepped back from the animatronic, he realized that this macabre version of Freddy, was pretty much unharmed, and that he needed to find another way to deal with him. Clutching the pipe in his hands, he felt chills as it dawned him that Bonnie and Sam weren't in the room either. Suddenly, rage overwhelmed him and he slammed the pipe once again at Freddy's head as the latter tried to get up, seemingly leaving the animatronic in daze. However, that still didn't prevent him from getting up.

Springtrap stared at Freddy, despair slowly replacing the rage he felt, knowing that there was nothing he could do except try to get away from this animatronic and hope that he would find Sam unharmed. Freddy snarled as he attempted to get up, but before he could attack Springtrap, the latter ran and quickly escaped through the other door across the room. However, as Freddy reached the door, Springtrap was already gone. The twisted animatronic stared at the empty hallway for a few seconds, then stepped inside, searching for Springtrap. Unknown to him, he just passed the air-vent the bunny animatronic was hiding in.

Springtrap sighed in relief as Freddy walked away, but he knew that this nightmare wasn't over yet. He had no idea where Sam was and he could only assume that she ran away during the commotion, chased by Bonnie.

_If something happened to her…_ He shuddered. He didn't want to even think about it.

After taking a moment to calm down, he decided to find her by crawling through the air-vents, as they seemed to currently be the safest place in this building. He hoped that Sam would do the same, or at least try to lock herself inside a room. He grew more and more anxious every time he came across another air-vent grille, only to see an empty hallway or an empty room. Not to mention, it was dead silent in the building.

_Where is she?_

Springtrap was growing desperate, deciding to exit the air-vents at the next opening, only to see a faint source of light at the other end of the air-vent. He perked up, hoping that this was Sam, only to hear a door shut and see the light vanish. Still, he crawled over to the opening, exiting it and realizing that he was near the abandoned security guard office. He approached the door, knocking on it.

''Sam, are you inside? It's me!'' He anxiously waited for the door to open, only to feel a wave of relief when he saw Sam, who, while shaken, seemed to be unharmed. ''I thought I lost you- Are you hurt? What happened?''

''I'm fine,'' Sam replied, glad to see him. She quickly closed the door behind him and explained anxiously, ''Just as Freddy attacked you, Bonnie lunged at me, so I ran away. I managed to lose him, though, and figured it would be much safer to stay at the office.'' She glanced at the monitors, with Springtrap noticing that they were all turned on, showing parts of the building.

One of the cameras showed Bonnie prowling around, with Springtrap getting a better look at the twisted version of the animatronic he knew. This Bonnie was tall, with the most notable feature on him being his huge hands, which looked as if they could crush Sam's head into a pulp. He was also wearing a red tattered bowtie and had a deranged grin on his expression. Springtrap's grip around the pipe he was holding tightened.

''What should we do?'' Sam asked him. Springtrap lowered his head, trying to think of a solution. He had a few ideas on mind, but each of them felt too risky, as it involved them approaching those animatronics.

''Leaving isn't an option, is it?'' he muttered, looking at her. Sam's eyes narrowed.

''We cannot just leave them to roam around,'' she replied. ''Do you think that there's a way to dismantle them or something like that?''

''I believe that I'd be able to do that, but there are a few issues with that idea,'' Springtrap replied. ''I have no idea how those animatronics work and even if I figured that out, they would attack me the moment I approach them.''

''I see,'' Sam muttered, then looked back at him. ''Still, there has to be a way to distract the Drawkills…''

''I suppose there is- wait, Drawkills?'' Springtrap gave her a confused look. Sam shrugged.

''It's the name I gave them,'' she explained. ''The killing part is obvious, but they also look like someone tried to draw a nightmarish steampunk version of Freddy and his friends. Although, I do have to admit that they look pretty sick. I mean, imagine them at a horror attraction…''

''Sam, you're admiring the murderous robots that are trying to kill you,'' Springtrap said in a deadpan tone.

''Yeah, and you admired the Nightmares and Funtimes as well,'' Sam replied in a sarcastic tone, with Springtrap keeping quiet. Sam felt a knot in her stomach, shaking her head. ''We can talk about this later. Currently, we need to find a way how to deal with the Drawkills.''

''About that, I figured that we need to first stun them,'' Springtrap replied, focusing on their current task. ''It would've been easier if we had a taser to shock them, but Drawkill Freddy has a pair of gas tanks, which means that they might explode if they get ignited. I guess we'll have to use that device then, but before that, we also need to see how they react to it.''

''In other words, I'd have to be the one to activate it in their presence since you'll get incapacitated once it is turned on,'' Sam said, noticing the reluctant look on Springtrap's expression. ''I know, you don't want to put me in danger, but it's not like we have any other choice. So, what are we supposed to do afterwards?''

''That's the other issue. I don't have any references, like blueprints, so I don't know what their weak points are,'' Springtrap explained, holding up the pipe. ''They look rather sturdy, but I had managed to hit Freddy in the head several times and it did seem as if it affected him, even though he did get back up.''

''So, we should try to damage their heads once they get distracted and hope for the best,'' Sam said, feeling unnerved. ''What if it doesn't work?''

''Well, at least we tried,'' Springtrap muttered. ''Not to mention, I still need a few tools to dismantle them. Believe me, I have my own plans for them.''

Sam glanced at the monitors, seeing Drawkill Freddy and Drawkill Bonnie on them. She then turned to Springtrap with a determined expression, nodding.

''Let's go!''

**xXx**

Sam peeked through the grille, hoping to see Drawkill Freddy, as this was the way the animatronic headed according to what they had seen on the cameras.

''I guess the hunter becomes the hunted,'' Springtrap, who was behind her, said. The two then heard steps, accompanied by low growls, and they were getting louder. Springtrap's eyes flared purple as he glanced at Sam. ''We found him. Now it's your turn.''

Sam nodded and held up the device. ''Brace yourself.''

The moment she turned it on, Springtrap saw static appearing befor his eyes, with a buzzing noise ringing in his ears. He clutched his head in pain, but what he experienced seemed to pale in comparison to what Drawkill Freddy was experiencing. The animatronic let out an animalistic screech, trashing around as he clutched his head, even stumbling into the wall at one point. He looked completely disoriented, unable to deal with the pain he felt.

Sam quickly exited the air-vent, clutching the pipe in her hands and hitting Drawkill Freddy in the back of his head. However, this didn't do much except agitating the animatronic. Sam's eyes widened in shock as she stepped back. Drawkill Freddy was still trying to get her, only to be knocked over and held down by Springtrap, who was still trying to fight back the agonizing sensory overload he felt.

Sam approached him with the pipe, which he took and both of them rammed it into the back of Drawkill Freddy's head, leaving it stuck in the endoskeleton. Drawkill Freddy stopped trashing, his eyes turning dim, having deactivated. Springtrap felt another wave of static overwhelming him, clutching his head, only to feel relief once Sam turned the device off.

''Do you think you'll manage to go through another one?'' Sam asked worriedly as Springtrap got up, glancing at the motionless Drawkill animatronic.

''It's not as if I have another choice,'' Springtrap replied. ''The sooner we're done with this, the better.''

He then wrenched the pipe out of Drawkill Freddy's skull, with the two searching for Drawkill Bonnie. It was surprising the latter didn't come running down the hallway considering how much ruckus they made. Nevertheless, they wanted to draw Drawkill Bonnie's attention and have him find them.

''Just one more,'' Sam said, feeling tense. Both were alert as they were walking down the hallway, knowing that they had to find Drawkill Bonnie as soon as possible. After all, they had no idea whether Connor might return, and they didn't want an encounter with him.

Soon, they heard the familiar scraping sounds, knowing that Connor's creation was nearby. Sam held up the device, having lowered the frequency to the point where Springtrap wouldn't get so much affected by it. This time, they wanted to see just how strong it had to be for the Drawkills to go crazy.

The scraping sounds grew louder, with Springtrap's eyes flaring up as he held the pipe and peeked into the next corridor. Drawkill Bonnie was there, seemingly searching for Sam as he went back to the room with the conveyor belt. They followed him inside, only to realize that Drawkill Bonnie was nowhere in sight.

''What the- But, he was here a moment ago,'' Springtrap muttered as they looked around. The two stood in silence, but they couldn't hear anything.

''Where is he?'' Sam muttered, wandering over to the conveyor belt, wondering whether Drawkill Bonnie went to the workshop, while Springtrap went to the other entrance, frowning.

_What is going on here?_

''Springtrap!''

Springtrap turned around as he heard Sam screaming, and saw Drawkill Bonnie suddenly standing on the conveyor belt. The animatronic lunged at her, pinning her on the ground, with Sam yelling in pain. Springtrap ran over to them, only to have a wave of static flash before his eyes, realizing that Sam had managed to activate the device.

Drawkill Bonnie started to twitch, but was still holding Sam down, who turned the frequency up. The animatronic screeched, letting go of her, only to be knocked away by Springtrap, who rammed the pipe into his grinning mouth right through his head, pinning him against the wall. Drawkill Bonnie trashed, trying to reach for Springtrap, who had some difficulty to keep the former still, partly due to the animatronic fighting back and partly due to another sensory overload he was experiencing. He then drew the pipe out of the animatronic's mouth, with Drawkill Bonnie falling over snarling, only to have the pipe being rammed right into his head. This time, it worked, as the animatronic was motionless, his eyes dim.

Springtrap relaxed as his vision became clear and the buzzing stopped. He turned to Sam, who managed to sit up, having turned the device off. He walked over to her.

''Are you okay?'' he asked worriedly as he crouched next to her.

''I feel a little sore,'' Sam said, rubbing her shoulder. ''Drawkill Bonnie was hiding behind the conveyor belt. Honestly, I have no idea how he figured out that we were following him.'' She sighed. ''I'm just glad it's over now.''

''Well, it's not completely over,'' Springtrap said, tilting his head as his eyes glowed in a soft purple. ''You won't mind helping me out, will you?''

Sam simply grinned, nodding eagerly.

**xXx**

''There, finished.''

Springtrap stood up, stepping back and crossing his arms. He was staring at Raven, who was twitching. Then, Raven started to sway, moving his legs as if trying to get up. His eyes were glowing and his beak opened and closed several times.

''Krach- Krach-''

''Seems like it will take a while for you to get used to this,'' Springtrap said, a little disappointed that Raven had trouble moving. However, the work he had done on the animatronic was much better than Connor's. Not only had he cleaned the voice box, but also fixed the rusty joints that prevented Raven from moving. ''If you're even a little similar to Puppet and the other animatronics who were possessed, you'd act out on the memories that you had stored.''

''In other words, Raven will probably lash out at Connor,'' Sam said, observing the animatronic curiously. While she hadn't done any repairs on the animatronics, she did help Springtrap by bringing him necessary tools, holding parts or simply listening to his instructions as he showed and explained to her what he was doing. While she did have some difficulty understanding how robots worked, she did show interest in it. She then glanced at Springtrap. ''We should leave now. It's been hours since we arrived here.''

Springtrap nodded, with the two leaving Raven just as he had leaned against the table, lifting his arm to reach for the top in order to get up. They had figured that it would take him a while to get start walking and using his voice box properly.

As they entered the hallway, briefly checking the room where they found the Drawkills. However, instead of seeing the twisted versions of familiar animatronics, all that was there were dismantled animatronic parts strewn all across the room. Springtrap even went so far as to tear out and destroy the circuit boards and whatever other devices he had found inside the animatronics, which meant that Connor had to start his work all over again.

''He's going to be mad,'' Sam commented as she closed the door.

''At least he'll understand the message I sent him,'' Springtrap said, grinning as his eyes flared up purple. He never considered himself a sadistic person, but he certainly did enjoy tearing the Drawkills apart. ''Those animatronics may be intimidating, but Connor is still a complete amateur. He has no idea what kind of game he's playing and I sincerely doubt he'll ever learn.''

''Which makes this whole situation even more concerning,'' Sam said as they walked through the room with the conveyor belt and towards the air-vent they used to get inside. ''He may get even more unhinged than he already is.''

''I have to agree with you,'' Springtrap said. He knew that she wasn't really looking forward to the aftermath of this event, and honestly, neither was he.

A few minutes later, they had exited the building and went to the car, with Sam turning it on and driving them back home. Springtrap leaned back, observing the factory as they passed it, noticing that there wasn't anyone but them on the road.

He tried to relax a little as he watched the landscape, but after all he went through today and the previous night, he felt exhausted. Honestly, he wanted to go to sleep, but he still couldn't figure out whether that was even possible. He glanced at Sam, who looked quite tired, trying to stay focused on the road. He knew that she was just as exhausted as he was, if not even more. He then looked back outside, noticing his own reflection on the window, his eyes still glowing.

_Now, all we can do is to wait._


	32. The Story's Not Over Yet

**Night 31**

**The Story's Not Over Yet**

_''There is a legend, a legend born long ago, about a wicked, a wicked man no one knows. Went and unraveled six innocent little souls. The souls found bodies, the bodies started to move. Some say they still walk, walk the halls staying from view. I got a secret, that I am here to tell you: 'That place is this very place, and all the stories are true'.''_

_– **Bringing Us Home** by TryHardNinja_

**xXxXxXx**

Springtrap sighed as he closed the book he had finally finished reading, _Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban_, and put it on the stack he left on the bed. He actually thought he'd only finish _Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets _for tonight, but after he was done with it, he grabbed the sequel, intending to just read the first chapter for a small preview. Instead, he somehow spent the entire night reading the whole book, getting quite immersed into the story. If anything, he understood why Sam told him that she got addicted to the books.

He was quite glad that Sam provided him with the books, as he felt that it wouldn't be a bad thing to think about something other than haunted animatronics or what Connor was up to. Not to mention, that kid didn't appear at all, so he was on his own this time, finally having the peace he desired for so long.

 _I should enjoy it while I still can._ Springtrap glanced over to the bed, where the left the other books, and grabbed the fourth novel, _Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire_, taking a look at the cover and the summary on the back before opening it. _Okay, this time it'll be just one chapter… Or maybe two._ He sighed, closing the book. _I'm probably not going to stop reading it, am I?_

Chuckling to himself, he opened it again, continuing reading the first chapter and enjoying the quiet and calm night. Sam and Emma were both asleep and, while he did go out once to check on Sam, he decided to stay in his room until they woke up. Springtrap was quite sure that it wouldn't take much longer for the sun to rise and he was anxiously waiting for the daytime.

He wondered whether Sam had something in mind for today, even though he figured that after what they've been through the past few days, it would've been better to stay at home. Nevertheless, if she did come up with something, he knew he would probably agree to it. He did promise to keep her entertained and out of trouble, after all. His ears lowered as he thought about that promise.

_The only problem is that those two things aren't often mutually exclusive, at least not in this case._

**xXx**

It was early in the morning when Springtrap finally heard someone walking downstairs. He was sure that it was Emma, as Sam would usually check on him. He wondered whether he should go talk to Emma, shuddering at the icy gaze she gave him when they returned home last night. It was more than clear that she was still angry at him for daring to even suggest that he could act as Sam's father. Nevertheless, he figured he should confront her again about the idea.

Taking a deep breath, he went downstairs, where Emma was preparing breakfast. He peeked into the kitchen, still reluctant about this confrontation, only for Emma notice him. He felt anxious when she glared at him, his ears lowered.

''Good morning, Afton,'' she said, her eyes narrowed. ''Are you just going to stand there and stare at me, or actually tell me whatever you have on your mind?''

''Um, I- Good morning, Emma,'' Springtrap said, startled, only to frown. ''Why would you even assume that there's something I want to tell you?''

''Well, let's see…'' Emma said, placing her hand on her hip and tilting her head. ''Yesterday, we had an argument, and considering the look you gave me once you returned, you still had that topic in mind. Not to mention, whenever you're bothered by something, you usually ask for Sam's advice; unless it is something that does involve her, but you're not ready to talk to her about it, then you come to me. So, what is it now, Afton?''

Springtrap stared at her.

''You know, it's sometimes scary just how good you are at figuring things out,'' he said. Emma just smirked. ''In any case, you're right. I did reflect on what you told me during our argument and I came to the conclusion that I shouldn't rush into making such decisions; at least not before I actually thought them through. Also, I understand that I still need to work on improving myself, and I know that it will be quite difficult.''

''Honestly, I'm surprised that you decided to admit that,'' Emma said. ''If you weren't a soul trapped inside an animatronic, I would've given you a cookie, or rather, a biscuit; if we're going to use British terms.''

Springtrap glared at her, fuming, with his eyes glowing purple.

''Emma, I'm pouring my heart out to you and you're just making fun of me,'' he said in an annoyed tone, then paused. ''On the other hand, I should've expected this considering whom I'm talking to.''

He then walked over to the table, sitting down and staring at it, still irritated. Emma sat across him, still holding the cup of coffee.

''Nevertheless, I actually expected you to protest,'' she said, with Springtrap looking up, giving her a confused look. ''You're quite attached to Sam, so I thought you'd actually argue back and try to convince me that it would work, or you would just proceed with it regardless of my opinion.''

''Why should I do that?''

''You seem to be the kind of person who'd do that,'' Emma replied.

''Maybe I am, but I care about Sam and considering you're her mother, it should be expected that I ask both of your opinions on the matter,'' Springtrap explained.

''I see…'' Emma muttered. ''While I am glad that you subverted my expectations, next time, you really should try to use your head before you do something. Aren't you supposed to be some kind of genius?''

''Only when it comes to robotics,'' Springtrap replied dryly. ''Social interactions aren't my forte, and I can't think straight when I panic.''

''You sure don't,'' Emma smiled knowingly, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at Springtrap. The latter was confused, wondering what she meant, only to realize a few seconds later what this was about and give Emma a look that was a mix of bewilderment and embarrassment, which quickly turned into annoyance.

''You really had to bring _that_ up?!'' he asked, remembering the time he introduced himself to Emma. Emma shook her head.

''You're hopeless, Afton,'' she said. Springtrap groaned, leaning his head against the table, ears lowered.

''I regret everything I said,'' he muttered. Emma snorted, drawing Springtrap's ire.

''I have no doubts about that,'' she said as she walked over to the microwave, taking out the sandwich she left to be heated. ''Although, I have heard worse.''

''Like the guy you punched in the face?'' Springtrap asked, looking up. Emma frowned at the memory and sighed.

''If it makes you feel better, in comparison to him, you're rather pleasant, if awkward,'' she replied. Springtrap gave her a surprised look. Emma then grinned smugly. ''Of course, you can also be a complete idiot at times.''

Whatever joy or relief he briefly felt was completely washed away by that remark, despite the fact that he knew that it was completely justified. He was left glaring at Emma, who was nonchalantly eating her sandwich. After a few minutes, they heard Sam coming downstairs.

''Hey!'' she greeted them cheerfully, only to realize that's something wrong, as Emma looked quite satisfied, while Springtrap seemed to be exasperated. ''Did something happen?''

''Don't worry, we just had a little conversation,'' Emma replied.

''I guess that explains the current mood,'' Sam said, glancing at Springtrap as she gave him a sympathetic smile. She then went to the kitchen counter, taking out a bowl, milk and cereal.

''Anyways, what happened last night? Do you have any plans for today?'' Emma asked them. Sam and Springtrap exchanged glances.

''Well, we found a few strange animatronics at the Machinations Factory,'' Sam said. ''Springtrap dismantled them, though.''

''Why?'' Emma asked, looking at Springtrap.

''Trust me, you wouldn't have wanted any of those roaming around,'' he said, with Emma giving him a suspicious look. ''As for today, I'm not sure…''

''Actually, I wanted to stay at home and play video games on my laptop,'' Sam interrupted. Emma rose an eyebrow.

''Really? Nothing else?'' she asked suspiciously.

''Well, unless I get another idea later, no,'' Sam replied. Emma stared at her for a moment, but then shrugged.

''If you say so,'' she said.

Sam noticed Springtrap looking at her with a questioning look on her expression, with her briefly shaking her head. Springtrap, having realized what she meant, leaned against the chair, sighing.

_You want to wait, right?_

**xXx**

_Something is wrong._ Connor had put on his earpiece in an attempt to communicate with the animatronics, but they wouldn't respond. _Is it broken?_

He walked steadily towards his workshop, looking around for any signs of the Freddy and Bonnie animatronic. However, they were nowhere to be found. Feeling frustrated, he entered his workshop, only for his eyes to widen in shock when he saw the chaos inside the place.

The animatronics had been completely dismantled, the parts strewn across the floor. He had no idea what exactly happened to the animatronics, but by just looking at the room, he could tell that the damage was great and that he will spend a while fixing them.

''How did this happen?! Who-''

He paused as he realized that what he had been doing at the factory wasn't  exactly a secret anymore and that there were two other people who knew what he was hiding. He wondered just how long they had been keeping an eye on him and looked around, as if searching for any hidden cameras.

_Why are you so paranoid? You know this place better than anyone else. If there was something odd, you would've already found it._

The sting of paranoia he felt was suddenly replaced with a rush of astonishment. Since he doubted that the teen had any idea how to deal with the animatronics, that would meant that it was Afton who did this. Connor's eyes narrowed as he kicked lightly a piece of metal away, noticing that the damage might've been even worse than he had initially thought. The circuit boards were destroyed, along with the devices he made to control the animatronics easier. He had also noticed that some parts of the endoskeletons had been removed or damaged.

_They can be replaced, though._

While Connor did lament the loss he suffered, he didn't feel angry about it. Instead, he saw it as a challenge.

_They were imperfect, unfinished._

The animatronics he had created weren't just good enough, and Afton had shown that by easily dismantling them. Connor wasn't sure why Afton even showed up here, but he believed that, for some reason, he disapproved of the animatronics he saw. Maybe he saw the animatronics as insignificant in comparison to his own creations, or perhaps he was angry that Connor made twisted copies of the animatronics he used to worked with.

_I need to make them better. They aren't good enough._

Connor didn't really care about what Afton's reason for destroying his creations was. He wasn't angry that they were dismantled, as he was still working on them and this showed just how much he still needed to do. All he knew is that he needed to perfect them, make them deadlier, while also letting them follow every command he would give. He needed answers and those animatronics would help him gain them. Nothing would stop him from getting what he felt that he rightfully deserved.

He then left the room, deciding to check the others just to see whether Afton had tampered with anything else, feeling a pit in his stomach when he stood in front of the room where he left Bran. He put his hand on the door knob, reluctant about opening it, only to hear a strange noise coming from inside.

_What's going on?_

As he opened the door, he saw a pair of red eyes glowing in the dark. Raven suddenly lunged at him, grabbing him by his neck and pinning him on the ground. Connor gasped for air, kicking Raven and trying to get the animatronic off him. However, Raven held him down, his eyes glowing. He looked furious.

''Krach- Krach-'' He attempted to talk, but let out only groaning sounds. Connor struggled, trying to free himself. He pressed the ear piece, hoping to control Raven, but nothing happened. Realizing that the device that controlled the animatronic was gone, he reached for the cables at Raven's neck. His fingers trembled feebly as he tried to turn the animatronic off, only to see black and red. He gritted his teeth, feeling his windpipe being crushed, only to suddenly get overwhelmed by the darkness, hearing only a distant laughter.

_''Krach- Krach-''_

**xXx**

Sam stretched, looking at the loading screen for _Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban. _She was currently half-way through the _Carpe Retractum_ Challenge, and despite how many times she had already played the game, she always loved to play it again.

 _''Alohomora!''_ Ron exclaimed as he unlocked a chest with the spell, gathering the goodies that fell out of it.

''You know, I thought that you might have a plan for today, as you always have one,'' Springtrap, who was sitting next to her on her bed, said. ''Although, I guess we cannot do much until Connor makes his move.''

''Yeah,'' Sam said, focusing on the video game. ''However, I am worried about what his next move will be.''

''You mean, aside from repairing the Drawkills?'' Springtrap said. ''He will try to find us, and I assume that he might even go to Freddy's, if he didn't already, in order to see whether I'm there.''

''Do you think that we should go to Ricky's to keep an eye on him?'' Sam asked, briefly glancing at Springtrap, before turning back to the video game, having managed to getting close to the end of the challenge.

''I think that it's time for a direct confrontation,'' Springtrap replied. ''Unless you have something else on mind…''

''No, you're right. We need to confront him,'' Sam said firmly, turning to him. ''Besides, isn't that what Connor wants as well? After all, he did search for you.''

''Now that you have mentioned it, I am also curious about what he actually wants from me,'' Springtrap said. ''I mean, while we did have a few theories, nothing is confirmed until we speak to him.''

''Exactly,'' Sam said, turning back to her video game. She was currently at the Bean Bonus Room stage, which was a timed challenge and required her focus.

Springtrap just observed her as she played the video game. Perhaps, someone would call it absurd that she was more focused on a video game considering the current situation, but given what they both went through, they needed some time off. Springtrap actually did feel better after having a peaceful night for once and he felt that Sam was using video games in a similar manner, easily disconnecting herself from the real world and immersing herself into a story inside the virtual reality.

''Say, Sam…''

''Yeah?'' Sam paused the game once the cutscene was over, going to the main menu.

''When I talked to Emma, she told me that, whenever you felt miserable and depressed, that you would lock yourself into your room and refuse to come out,'' Springtrap said, noticing the look of concern on Sam's expression. ''I was just wondering whether you used those video games as a way to escape reality.''

''Actually, I did,'' Sam said, looking at the main menu, which was playing a haunting orchestral piece followed by a choir. ''At least, when I played the games, I knew there wasn't anyone who would make me feel like I was a nobody.''

''But, you aren't a nobody,'' Springtrap replied. ''You're an amazing person who deserves much better.''

''If you mean the treatment I received from my bullies, then yes, I deserved better friends than them,'' Sam said, saving her current gameplay and quitting the game. ''However, if you believe that I'm still better off without you, then you're wrong.''

''At least you wouldn't have ended up hurt,'' Springtrap said, glancing at her scarred arm. Even though the scar she had was faint, it was still there and it was a constant remainder of how close she got to actually dying.

''Yeah, because I'd refuse to leave my room and continue lying to myself that everything's fine,'' Sam replied, a sly grin on her expression. ''Maybe I would've healed on my own, but your presence certainly did speed up the process.'' She then gave him a sympathetic smile. ''Although, I do understand why you're still convinced that what you're doing is wrong. After all, wanting to keep me happy must be the first selfless thing you had done in ages.''

''I guess you're right,'' Springtrap said, still feeling a little insecure. He noticed Sam looking at him, aware that she wanted to simply comfort him. Nevertheless, he knew that she was right. After all, everything he had done in the past was for his own selfish reasons and this experience was something completely different.

''We're not done with that issue, right?'' Sam asked, with Springtrap nodding timidly. She sighed, turning back to her laptop. ''Nevertheless, you know what I think about it, and rest assured, I'd be quite vocal if I had changed my mind.''

''There's no doubt about that,'' Springtrap said, a little amused as he thought about the times Sam yelled at him for something he had done or said that she disapproved of. Sam meanwhile typed something on her laptop, her eyes widening in surprise as she opened a website.

''Hey, look at this!'' she exclaimed. Springtrap looked at the monitor, a little stunned by what he saw. Sam was grinning, looking quite excited about the date displayed on the website.

''So, Freddy Fazbear's Pizza is supposed to open in a few days,'' he said, his eyes glowing in a very faint purple.

''I can't wait for that!'' Sam said in an enthusiastic tone. ''I've been waiting for ages for it to open; well, ever since a new location was announced after Henry's fake one burned to the ground.''

''What I'm more interested in is how Fazbear Entertainment will handle this location,'' Springtrap told her. ''They're not exactly competent, and I can only imagine that they'll find another way to ruin everyone's experience.''

''Well, I guess we'll have to wait and see how that will turn out. At least this location is genuine and not another trap,'' Sam said.

''Unless Henry find a way to burn that one down as well,'' Springtrap said in a deadpan tone.

''I don't think he would do that,'' Sam said, rising an eyebrow as she looked at Springtrap. ''Would he?''

''I wouldn't put it past him,'' Springtrap replied, remembering the cold gaze Henry gave him. ''Although, you and I both know that the only reason he did that was because of what I had done and because of the other haunted animatronics.''

''Not that it worked in the long run,'' Sam pointed out. Springtrap snorted, but then quickly went quiet.

''You know, I do hope that he won't interfere this time,'' he said. ''Technically, I'm the only haunted animatronic, and I'm not exactly keen on going on a murder spree. He doesn't really have a reason for doing that unless he considers just me being here a hazard.''

''Not that you aren't one,'' Sam said in a snarky tone. Springtrap's eyes glowed purple, this time a little stronger.

''True, although, it's not for the reasons he believes,'' he said, noticing Sam's questioning look. He tilted his head, looking at her curiously. ''You know well that I'm responsible for this horror story from start to finish. Even though I'm back, I'm not planning on continuing it, but there's still something I want to get done.''

''Do you mind telling me what that is?'' Sam asked, noticing Springtrap's eyes suddenly flaring up purple. He looked quite eager, like a kid who was promised a shiny new toy. Sam felt a little unnerved by his reaction.

''It's a surprise of mine,'' he said. ''Trust me, there's nothing to worry about.''

''Yet,'' Sam said flatly. Springtrap's ears lowered, with him looking a little crestfallen. He really hoped that Sam would trust him, but he understood why she remained wary. ''In any case, I wonder how people will react to the opening of Freddy's. While I'm excited, I don't believe that everyone else will feel the same, especially considering the reputation Freddy has.''

''I guess that their reaction remains to be seen. It has been more than 30 years, but some might still remembered what had happened. While those who had visited Freddy's when they were children might visit it out of pure nostalgia, I do believe that there would be people who'd refuse to visit the restaurant due to not only being aware of the murders that had occurred, but also because of the other accidents that happened, despite the fact that they were clearly preventable,'' Springtrap added the last part in a heavy tone.

''Like the Bite of '83,'' Sam noted in a quiet tone. Springtrap felt a pit in his stomach as a flash of a blood-covered Fredbear appeared in his vision, with the seemingly lifeless body of Sammy hanging out from it, his skull crushed. He nodded.

''Yes…'' he muttered.

''You know, perhaps it's Freddy's dark past what makes the place so appealing,'' Sam said, with Springtrap giving her a surprised look. ''Remember Fazbear's Fright? It was supposed to be a horror attraction based on the events that occurred more than 30 years ago, and I'm sure that people would've gotten interested. Being an urban explorer, I love visiting places that have some kind of story behind them, especially if something horrible happened. I mean, for example, I have seen a lot of videos on YouTube about people visiting and investigating haunted places. I believe that there's something in the human nature that draws us to such creepy stuff and makes us feel fascinated by those horror stories.''

''When you think about it, those who will visit Freddy's are probably people like you; teens and young adults who have heard of what happened at Freddy's in the past, but don't really understand the depths of the reasons of why the restaurant has such a dark reputation, and have decided to visit it out of pure curiosity. After all, we both know that Henry's restaurant had customers, despite its past,'' Springtrap said. ''There's also the possibility that they would get bored of Ricky's and want to see what the other animatronic location has to offer.''

''There are also the _Five Nights at Freddy's_ video games,'' Sam said, glancing at her laptop. ''Even though they weren't up for too long, they probably had drawn attention, especially because Fazbear Entertainment was very vocal about discrediting this indie game developer, claiming how everything that occurred and was represented in the games was completely inaccurate and not true.''

''Speaking of which, I doubt that some random guy would've even been capable of making video games with such surprisingly accurate lore, unless he had access to the necessary documentation,'' Springtrap said, frowning. ''In short, these games shouldn't even exist, or at least not in the way they are depicted.''

''If that's so, there's always the possibility that he had some help, maybe even from those who are currently managing Fazbear Entertainment. After all, they had a long history of trying to cover everything up,'' Sam said. ''Not to mention, this might not only be a cover up in order to dismiss the events that happened at Freddy's as urban legends, but also an attempt to draw the attention of future patrons for the reasons I had already mentioned.''

''It makes sense,'' Springtrap said, his eyes glowing in a soft purple, as he added in a disdainful tone, ''Although, I would prefer if some of the things that had been brought up had stayed a secret,… like the entire bloody _story_ of what had happened.''

''Well, the games are quite vague about the lore, and the only reason why I figured the story out is because I put a lot of time and effort into decoding everything,'' Sam said, understanding why he felt this way. ''In other words, I may be the only person alive who actually knows the complete truth behind the story.''

''That's undeniable,'' Springtrap said, with Sam nodding.

''You know, I do feel that some memories should be preserved, but I also want to create new ones. Nevertheless, depending on how the management handles this location, maybe it won't be so bad. I mean, I've been to Henry and Michael's location and it was an amazing experience. If it weren't for the fact that it was a trap, it probably would've become extremely successful,'' she said in a cheerful tone. ''Besides, I can't wait to see the animatronics again on the stage. After all, Freddy's, and obviously Ricky's, remain kind of unique as they're probably one of the few, if not the only restaurants who didn't throw out their animatronics and completely replaced them with animated mascots. Honestly, I'm so excited about finally visiting it!''

She then noticed Springtrap's thoughtful gaze. It looked as if he was reminiscing about something, but he didn't seem to be lost. There was something in his eyes, the same kind of caring look he showed whenever he wanted to cheer her up.

''William?''

''I have to admit, you remind me of Elizabeth, Sammy and Michael when I introduced them to Fredbear's Family Diner. They had shown the same kind of excitement you do now,'' he said in a sorrowful tone, lowering his head. ''Not to mention, when I had shown Circus Baby to Lizzy, she had told me how much she loved me and how she was happy about the animatronic I made just for her.''

''If you had the chance to change the past, you'd put your family above your own selfish desires, right?'' Sam asked him, with Springtrap nodding. She couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

''Still, they're gone, and the past cannot be changed,'' he said, looking at her. ''I have already come to terms with that, and besides, you're here now. I want to make your experience as enjoyable as possible.''

''Thanks,'' Sam replied. ''At least you won't have trouble staying at Freddy's, as a Bonnie character wouldn't be out of place there in comparison to Ricky's. They might get confused why Spring Bonnie is actually back, though, especially since he was decommissioned character.''

''I doubt they'll pay much attention to me even if they do actually realize that I'm not supposed to be there,'' Springtrap said. ''In any case, I'm here for _your_ entertainment.''

''I know, but that also includes bringing up your past, something you aren't really comfortable talking about,'' Sam replied, with Springtrap giving her a troubled look. It was more than clear that he really wanted to move on from that. ''Nevertheless, I am really curious to see how this will work out and I do hope that there won't be another follow-up to this horror story. Even though you are here, the actual horror story did end when the previous location burned down to ashes. The current horror story is the one at Ricky's.''

''True, although I'm not really looking forward to how the part with Ricky's and Connor will end,'' Springtrap said. ''Considering what we've been through last night, it is safe to say that it might get even worse.''

''I guess you're right,'' Sam muttered, glancing at the monitor which showed the Freddy Fazbear's Pizza website. She smiled and turned to Springtrap. ''You know, we could visit Freddy's tonight. I'd like to see if they had finally brought the animatronics there.''

''Sure.'' Springtrap nodded, briefly glancing at the website. Even though he had been at the restaurant several times along with Sam, he still felt that things would be different once the location had finally opened. He then smiled, recalling the conversation with his old partner.

_I'm sorry Henry, but nothing you say or do will deter me from continuing with what I had in mind. The story is not over yet._

**xXx**

His vision was blurry as he opened his eyes, with pain pulsing through his body. Something heavy was lying on him, and as he tried to move it, he realized it was a black bird-like animatronic.

 _Bran, what is_ wrong _with you?_

He managed to push away Raven, his vision slowly clearning. He blinked a few times, staring at the animatronic, completely stunned about what just had happened.

_How is this possible?_

Connor recalled his last moments before he blacked out, remembering how Raven had lunged at him, attempting to strangle him. To his luck, he had managed to disconnect the cables that kept the animatronic active, else he would've died at Raven's hands. He didn't know what shocked him more: the fact that Raven was able to walk, or the fact that he tried to kill him moments ago.

''You know, Bran, the attack was completely unprovoked,'' Connor told him in a bitter tone. ''I wanted to keep you here because I needed you. I needed your support, and I'm sure that this fate is much better than just being a disembodied spirit.''

The animatronic didn't react, with Connor being sure that Bran couldn't move his mechanical body unless it was active. However, he was quite happy that Bran was now capable of walking and interacting with him on a higher level than before, even though it was obvious that his old friend was still angry about his own death, despite the fact that Connor told him that he would get used to his new body.

''Still…'' Connor trailed off, acting on a hunch. He crouched next to Raven, removing the mask and looking at the endoskeleton's head. As he had suspected, the device that controlled the animatronic itself had been removed. He also checked the rest of the endoskeleton, noticing that some parts had been replaced. However, instead of feeling upset, Connor grinned. ''So, _he_ is responsible for this? Of course; after all, he would know what to do.''

He stood up, feeling a rush of excitement and anticipation. He knew that he now had exactly what he wanted – Afton's attention. However, he still had figure out how to lure him out in order to talk to him in private, as something told him that Afton wasn't exactly interested in having a conversation with him. Considering what he had done, Connor could only assume that Afton saw him as someone inferior, someone who wasn't worth his time.

_Then I have to prove that I'm his equal._

Connor knew that he would be spending another night here repairing and working on creations. Even after he had left them the last night, he knew that they were unfinished. The devices he used were still in the experimental stage and he had planned to improve them. Not only would they be stronger, faster, more independent and exceptionally deadly, but would also follow and execute every command he issued.

_They will be perfect._

However, there was something missing and he felt that he could gain this last piece he needed from his conversation with Afton. He needed to show him that he shouldn't be underestimated. After all, weren't his own creations entitled to some kind of recognition for being not only intimidating, but also awe-inspiring? Connor hoped that, once they were complete, he would get the respect he deserved.

 _I_ will _get my answers._


	33. Freddy's Horror Show

**Night 32**

**Freddy's Horror Show**

_''Constructed in the 80s with the purpose to preform, mechanic animals powered by children's souls reborn. With the revving of an engine, and the grinding of their gears, they can make you fall in love with fear. Who dares; prepare for a night all alone by the phone. Jumpscares and nightmares, when you find what's in store, you'll be slamming the door.''_

_– **Built In The 80s** by Griffinilla and Toastwaffle ft. Caleb Hyles_

**xXxXxXx**

There were sounds of cheer and clapping as the music had started. The red curtains unveiled two animatronics, one being a golden bear with a purple top hat and bowtie, holding a microphone; and the other being a golden bunny with a purple bowtie, holding a guitar. Their eyes were glowing as they started to sing on the stage, surrounded by children. They had a birthday party and the place was packed, as the birthday boy seemed to have invited his entire class to the party.

His dark eyes gleamed as he observed the area close to the stage, his chest swelling with pride. He adjusted his purple uniform, ready to deal with the chaos that would probably unfold soon. He already had enough experience to know that there would be some incredibly obnoxious parents dragging around their screaming children. Nevertheless, while he knew how to handle them, he completely loathed the kind of entitlement he'd encounter here. It didn't help that Henry would often ask him for help when it came to dealing with those issues, even though it was clear that he wasn't exactly the most social person to be around.

William sighed, standing in the corner of the room with his arms crossed and observing what was going on. While he knew that he had to be here in case something happened, he'd rather be in the back room, surrounded by animatronic parts. He glanced at the golden bunny animatronic on the stage, smiling. Creating those robots was something he was quite proud of, even if they had only served for entertaining people. They were certainly unique, especially considering they had a rather interesting feature not many people were aware of. He narrowed his eyes as he thought about it, feeling somewhat amused.

_In a way, they're also here to entertain me._

**xXx**

Springtrap stared at the dark building curiously, while Sam walked ahead, looking quite excited. It seemed that no one was inside, with Springtrap hoping that they wouldn't get interrupted for the remainder of the night. He was wondering just how much work they had done on the new building and how long this location would last before another tragedy occurs. He wasn't really optimistic about it, but he figured that he would have to wait and see whether he was right about his assumptions.

He followed Sam to the back entrance, which she had already unlocked. She turned on the flashlight she took out from her bag, with the two walking inside, anticipating what they might see. They weren't disappointed.

''Ha, they're back!''

Sam was grinning, staring at the stage in amazement. Even Springtrap looked stunned, although it was more because this was the first time he saw the familiar, child-friendly animatronics outside of Hell. Illuminated by the dim stage lights, Freddy Fazbear, Bonnie, Chica and Foxy were back to entertain the new generations, while still keeping the secrets of their past.

As he stepped closer, Springtrap noticed that, while they looked quite similar to their incarnations from the 90s, there were some obvious differences. To start off, the suits were brand new, the fur clean and neat and their eyes were almost glowing. They didn't have that stocky build anymore and were more proportionate, especially Chica. He knew that the only reason why the animatronics were like this was because Fazbear Entertainment had to start from scratch, as any parts they had salvaged from Henry's location were unusable.

''They seem to have put a lot of work into them,'' Springtrap said, stepping closer to them. He could see bits of the endoskeletons where the joints connected and they seemed to be in an amazingly good condition. However, he was still a little suspicious as this was _Fazbear Entertainment_ , after all.

''What are you doing?'' Sam asked as he suddenly got on the stage.

''I just want to see something,'' Springtrap replied, standing between the animatronics and trying to figure out how to open the suits. Sam rose an eyebrow, looking a little exasperated by his antics.

''I should've expected that you'd be more interested in the mechanics of the animatronics rather than the characters themselves,'' she said.

''Don't worry, I'm not going to tamper with them,'' Springtrap replied, his eyes suddenly glowing purple when Freddy's torso popped up open, with the endoskeleton, as well as all the wires and other pieces being completely visible. He grinned, briefly glancing at Sam. ''Do you want to join me?''

She shrugged, knowing that she didn't really had anything to lose, and got up on the stage from the side, moving away the purple, silver star-covered curtain that was blocking her way. She looked curiously at Freddy's torso, pointing her flashlight at it. Springtrap reached inside Freddy's chest, carefully moving away some of the cables that were covering the circuit boards, his actions reminding Sam of a bizzare version of a surgery game. She almost expected to hear a buzzing sound the moment he touched any of the metallic parts. Sam then noticed Springtrap frowning.

''Is something wrong?'' she asked.

''Give me a moment,'' he muttered, focusing on one particular circuit board, trying to figure out how to remove it, or at least getting a better look at it. He reached for it, but he couldn't take it out as it was attached to the endoskeleton via several wires. However, he could turn it around, noticing something carved on the plastic. Sam pointed her flashlight at it, illuminating it. ''It says _HW: Freddy Fazbear (Copy)_.''

''Well, it was obviously made for Freddy, but what does _HW_ mean?'' Sam asked. Springtrap shrugged.

''I have no idea, but maybe there are some documents lying in the office that have some information on the new animatronics,'' he said as he closed Freddy's torso, hearing a _click_ sound. He then moved on to the other animatronics, with each having a similar circuit board featuring their names and the sign _HW_. ''Wasn't there something about the animatronics having been delayed due to technical difficulties?''

''Now that you mention it, maybe this has something to do with that,'' Sam said. Springtrap glanced briefly at her, then turned to the animatronics.

''It is possible,'' Springtrap muttered, looking over to the other side of the room. There was a huge gift box at the prize corner. He frowned.

_''A marionette?''_

_''I thought about calling it The Puppet,''_ Henry said as he looked at William, showing his partner the green bracelet that he was holding in his palm. _''Aside from entertainment, it is also here for security purposes.''_

 _''Really?''_ William rose an eyebrow as he took the bracelet, examining it. _''How is this supposed to work?''_

 _''The bracelet emmits a frequency that is registered by Puppet, who then proceeds to bring the kid inside in case they left the restaurant,''_ Henry explained, looking proudly at the marionette-like animatronic. _''Not to mention, Puppet also gives out gifts at the prize corner.''_

 _''That's quite impressive,''_ William said as he gave him the bracelet back. Henry smiled.

 _''It shouldn't be impressive as much as it should be practical,''_ he replied. _''I just hope that it will work as planned, since I made it for Charlie.''_

 _Only that it didn't work the way you intended for it to work._ Springtrap frowned at the memory, noticing the strange look Sam gave him. ''Anyways, there are still other things to investigate…''

''Right,'' Sam muttered, looking at him suspiciously. The two then went to the prize corner, with Sam leaning over the counter to get a better look at the gift box. Springtrap, on the other hand, looked a little reluctant. ''I wonder whether Puppet has already been put inside the box.''

''It seems that it is,'' Springtrap said, pointing at the almost invisible strings right above the ribbon on the top of the box and looked up at the metal plates on the ceiling. ''Once it opens, the Puppet would rise from the gift box and those plates would keep it in control. It seems that they won't let it move anywhere outside the prize corner.''

''They have a good reason for that. After all, Phone Guy said in one of his calls that Puppet is different from the other animatronics, that it can think and that it can go anywhere, although that was mostly because of Charlie,'' Sam said. ''This Puppet, however, isn't haunted, so I doubt it'll go anywhere, even with the restraints.''

''I agree,'' Springtrap muttered, staring at the gift box. The shelves behind it were empty, but he was quite sure that, once the place opened, they would be full with prizes like plush toys or figurines. He could imagine Puppet giving them away, while also keeping a watchful eye on the rest of the restaurant, making sure that nothing bad would happen… _This Puppet isn't Charlie!_

His eyes glowed in a soft purple as he suddenly remembered the monitor installed on his desk, as well as the dark corridor in front of him. His heart was racing as he checked the monitors for the animatronics. It all had started with Puppet, who would look up from the box, staring at the monitor, as if knowing that he was there and that he was observing her and the others.

Then, Toy Bonnie got off the stage, trying to reach the office. He tried to keep him away, armed with only a flashlight he brought from home, but found out soon that Toy Freddy, Toy Chica, Balloon Boy and Mangle were following Toy Bonnie's example. The only reason the Withereds never went after him was because he had the sense to lock the door that led to the room they were left at.

It didn't take him long to figure out that this was because of Puppet, that she was the one who sent those animatronics after him, knowing who he is and what he had done. She wanted him dead and was willing to do anything to achieve that goal.

Nevertheless, he knew how to play this game. He knew how to survive the night and how to deal with the animatronics. During the week he had been assigned the night shift, he had managed to sneak upon the Toy Animatronics and tamper with their recognition system, so they wouldn't only go after him, but after every adult in this place. Not only that, but he had also managed to secure a position as a day shift guard. Now, all he had to do was to wait one more night, and afterwards, someone else would be targeted by the animatronics.

However, that last night, something had changed. William still saw the animatronics moving, Toy Freddy having reached the corridor and staring at him, his eyes completely black. As he tried to find a way to ward him off, suddenly, everything became silent. He turned the flashlight on, only to illuminate an empty hallway. His flashlight flickered, turning off due to the battery dying. He cursed, quickly checking the cameras. All of them were covered in static, so he couldn't find the animatronics. Then he heard the music, recognizing the little familiar melody as _Pop Goes The Weasel_.

He stood up, knowing that Puppet had somehow cleared the area to come after him personally. He had no idea how she even managed to free herself, but he figured that the other animatronics had probably helped her removing the heavy box he had left on the lid in order to trap her inside the gift box.

William waited, anticipating the animatronic lunging at him, but nothing happened. Everything was silent, with him realizing that the melody had stopped playing. He took a deep breath, checking his watch, which showed him that it was 6 AM. He grinned at first, but the smile quickly turned into a frown as he knew that he still had no idea where Puppet was. Maybe it was 6 AM, but there was nothing preventing her from coming after him.

He waited for another minute, not wanting to enter the dark corridor without some kind of light source, and checked the drawers at his desk for spare batteries. He found them and quickly inserted them into the flashlight, then pointed it at the corridor. He felt a pit in his stomach when he saw that Puppet was sitting on the ground, leaned against the wall, being only steps away from actually entering the office. It seemed that the programming had overridden the control the soul had over the animatronic, but he had no idea for how long this would be. He knew that Puppet could get up any moment and attack him.

Carefully, he walked around Puppet, briefly glancing back at her, his eyes dark and cold and expression unreadable. She didn't respond, so he left quickly, finding his way back to the exit. The animatronics were back on their respective stages and he knew he'd soon see the other members of the staff. He knew that he should be relieved, but all he felt was anxiety. He knew that there was someone here, waiting for him and his demise.

 _It didn't take long for me to leave that location. I never regretted it._ Springtrap sighed.

''William?'' He was startled when Sam had suddenly addressed him, having almost forgotten that she was standing right next to him. There was a mix of worry and irritation on her expression. ''What's wrong?''

''I was just remembering things,'' Springtrap replied. ''Nevertheless, you're right. These animatronics aren't haunted, as there wasn't anything left that was worth salvaging. Henry made sure that that would be the case.''

''It sounds as if you're trying to assure yourself that they're not haunted anymore,'' Sam remarked. Springtrap remained silent. ''If you need a little more time to think about this, I'll understand.''

''Thanks, but I don't want to leave you to explore on your own,'' Springtrap replied. ''Maybe we can talk about this later.''

Sam nodded, then looked over to the arcades. She looked a little disappointed, with Springtrap assuming that she hoped that she could play a few games. He was somewhat amused, only to notice Sam going towards a corner close to the kitchen. Curious, he followed her to a table which had a cardboard cutout of a beaver wearing a sombrero and holding a mandolin. Springtrap stared at the mascot in disbelief, while Sam looked strangely excited.

''Awesome! They're bringing back _El Chip's Fiesta Buffet_ corner,'' she said, turning to Springtrap, who was stunned. ''Right, I didn't tell you about it. When I went to Henry's location, they had this buffet-style table with Mexican food and the El Chip animatronic. However, that was supposed to be some kind of one-time event. The tacos were pretty good, though.''

''Seems like I missed out on a lot of stuff while wandering through that maze,'' Springtrap said, crossing his arms.

''No offense, but it was a good thing you never saw the actual location,'' Sam replied.

''True, but you could be tell a bit more about it. I'm curious about how Henry and Mike managed it,'' Springtrap told her. ''After all, you did mention that it was surprisingly successful for a Freddy's location.''

''Sure, why not,'' Sam replied. ''Although, I first want to see the rest of this location and whether they had changed anything else.''

Springtrap watched her walking away, looking around for the next thing that would grab her interest. Considering how she behaved now, he was wondering how she would react when this restaurant finally opens. Even though she was a teenager, she reminded him of a small child, running around to see if there were any secrets that the grown-ups had hidden from her. Still, he didn't judge her for this behavior. After all, when he and Henry had opened Fredbear's, they wanted a location where both adults and children could enjoy themselves.

 _If anything, it will be interesting to see how people treat this location and how Fazbear Entertainment will handle it._ His eyes started to glow in a faint purple. _Nevertheless, they cannot change what had happened, even if they do try to cover it up. On the other hand, as Sam pointed out, people might come here because they know about the rumors and are curious._

**xXx**

Connor wiped the sweat of his forehead, looking at the finished Freddy animatronic. It took him hours to repair that thing, especially as he had to search for fitting parts, but somehow, he managed to do it. Not only that, but he had also managed to improve on things he missed when he put those animatronics together the first time. Rest assured, the animatronic was ready, but the one thing that was missing were several key features that were necessary to keep it functioning. His plan was to repair the endoskeletons first and then work on the AI and other features that needed to be polished.

He looked at the parts that were strewn across the floor, feeling tired, but satisfied. He knew he'd be spending the entire night here, with maybe a few hours of sleep. However, he felt that it would be worth it. He knew that this would work.

_Sometimes, you need to push yourself to your limits to achieve something extraordinary._

He could hear the scraping and banging coming from down the hallway, rolling his eyes and sighing.

''Sorry, Bran! I'm not going to let you out!'' he yelled.

He had actually taken the attack in stride, figuring that Bran was angry about the imprisonment. However, he hoped that he would eventually calm down, which is why he locked him into that room after activating the animatronic. He currently had no time dealing with Bran, as he needed to fix the animatronics, but he knew that he'd have to confront him later. He was actually glad that Afton had managed to get Bran to walk and even try to speak, but he figured that he could help his old partner even further. He grinned.

_It won't take much longer until everything's ready. Once I'm done with this, there's only one more thing I need to take care of._

**xXx**

He could hear them. He knew that those voices belonged to the children and the adults that would visit this place. He knew that this wasn't just a trick made by some security guard, as he had seen the location open. He had seen the people who came here to eat, play and be entertained. Unlike the horror attraction, this place seemed to have lived up to its potential.

_What a deceptive calling. I knew it was a lie the moment I heard it, obviously. But it is intriguing, nonetheless._

After having brought here, he found himself in sitting in a small, poorly lit room, staring at a man covered in bandages, wearing a low baseball hat that obscured his eyes. There was something strange about him, something about the way he acted, but he wasn't sure what it exactly was. The man was tense, although he wasn't surprised about that. Who wouldn't be tense about having to monitor a salvaged animatronic that might lash out at him at any moment given?

Nevertheless, even though it angered him, Scraptrap had to admit that the electric shocks he got were deserved. Still, it was a small price to pay for entering a place like this, a place where he could start his reign of terror once again.

_How can I resist, a promise, such as this._

All he had to do was to find a way out of this maze made out of hallways and air-vents in order to reach them. Then, no one would be safe.

**xXx**

Springtrap's ears twitched slightly, his eyes still closed. He had been sitting on the floor, leaned against the wall next to the stage, trying to calm down. Honestly, he didn't really like being constantly reminded of what had happened, seriously regretting what he had done, but the memories just kept pouring in. There was no way to escape them, as they were part of him. At least his headache somewhat lessened.

''You won't mind if I join you?''

Springtrap opened his eyes, seeing Sam crouching in front of him, her head tilted as she looked at him. She seemed to be concerned about him.

''Of course not,'' he said, with Sam sitting next to him. ''So, have you found anything interesting?''

''Besides the animatronics and the El Chip cardboard cutout, no,'' she replied. Springtrap's eyes suddenly glowed in a faint purple as he grinned.

''Have you considered taking the job as a night guard once the location opens?'' he asked.

''I somehow doubt that I'll be able to qualify as one, even if the new manager doesn't care about hiring an underage teenager as a night guard,'' Sam replied. ''Whether I'd accept the job, though…''

''Knowing you, you would,'' Springtrap said in a deadpan tone. Sam smiled sheepishly.

''Well, while the reasonable me screams that I shouldn't accept, the other side is already asking for the uniform and the keys,'' she said. ''At least I might have a better chance of surviving than the other night guards had, as I'm aware that it is possible for the animatronics to become haunted instead of simply malfunctioning.''

''Not to mention, you already have the keys for the building and you were here several times, checking on the place,'' Springtrap pointed out.

''True,'' Sam said, shrugging. ''Despite how insane everything is, I'm still happy to be part of it.''

''You know, you shouldn't say things you might regret later,'' Springtrap told her, noticing the affronted look on her expression.

''I don't think I will regret this,'' she replied in a more serious tone.

''Sam, I didn't want to offend you, but I'm just talking from experience,'' Springtrap said. ''You know well that I've said a lot of things I wish I could take back.''

Sam gazed at him, then looked down, falling silent. Springtrap was surprised to see that she didn't protest, but he was aware that she did take his advice seriously. Then, she looked up to him with a soft smile.

''I understand what you want to tell me, but that still doesn't change my opinion,'' she told him in a warm, but firm tone. ''I am not regretting befriending you, William.''

Springtrap wanted to protest, but he knew that he couldn't win this argument. Even though he was aware that their friendship could affect Sam's life negatively, he had to admit that he didn't really regret either being friends with her. This wasn't anymore a matter of what might happen or what the consequences would be, but rather what both of them wanted. Was he really supposed to constantly fear interacting with her and make her happy through innocent means like talking to her? He didn't want to hurt her, but being afraid that something might happen made him quite frustrated.

''You know, I won't let you regret it,'' Springtrap said, with Sam giving him a curious look. He shrugged. ''In a way, we're both right. I mean, I'm trying to warn you that not everything is as it seems and to be careful, while you're pointing out that none of us is doing anything wrong. I just hate how frustrating it can get trying to reason whether a decision I made was good or bad.''

''I understand that,'' Sam replied. ''You're under a lot of pressure and you're trying to do everything to make the best out of your current situation.''

''I guess we both need to build up more confidence, else we'll get mentally destroyed by our fears and insecurities,'' Springtrap said, glancing at Sam, who nodded.

''Well, if it does make you feel better, I do agree that you did deserve being stuck in Hell for what you had done,'' Sam said, with Springtrap almost facefaulting.

''That is not what I meant when I told you to not say things you'll regret,'' he told her, feeling irritated. Sam was just grinning sheepishly, while Springtrap rolled his eyes. However, it did seem that both were in a much better mood than they were before. They was silence for a moment, with Springtrap giving Sam a determined look. ''You know, I don't think I had really told you everything about myself or what I had done.''

''Yeah, because you made it clear that there were things you were uncomfortable talking about,'' Sam said in a deadpan tone, with Springtrap feeling that he messed up again.

''I know,'' he muttered, then shook his head, getting a grip on himself. ''All I wanted to say that it is easier to deal with these overwhelming memories if I have someone to talk to about them.''

''Okay, then,'' Sam said, giving him a curious look. ''What do you want to tell me?''

Springtrap looked a little reluctant, suddenly feeling anxious. Only because he knew he had to talk to someone about what had happened didn't mean that he wouldn't feel uncomfortable about it. He sighed, feeling like an idiot.

''I believe that I had already told you that I had worked as a night guard at Freddy's at some point in my life,'' he said, glancing at the prize corner. Sam followed his gaze.

''In other words, you had to deal with the Toys, the haunted Withereds and Puppet,'' she said. ''I can already imagine how that went.''

''Well, it wasn't a complete disaster, as I had managed to lock up the Withereds and block Puppet, but I couldn't do much against the Toys, though. Tampering with their recognition system didn't help much either,'' Springtrap explained.

''Still, you survived,'' Sam pointed out.

''Not that it mattered in the long run,'' Springtrap said in a deadpan tone, tugging lightly at his purple bowtie, with Sam giggling at the irony. ''Nevertheless, at some point, I had figured out that it was the Puppet, or rather, Charlie, who sent them after me in order to kill me. The most I could do is to leave for the day shift and let someone else take over.''

''Right, and if my theory was correct, that someone not only had to deal with a bunch of homicidal animatronics, but was also probably the victim of The Bite of '87,'' Sam said. Springtrap shrugged.

''I wasn't around at that point, so I cannot confirm anything about that Bite,'' he replied. ''Even if it weren't for the murders, Freddy's might've closed because of that incident.''

''The only problem with that is the fact that the reason the animatronics were so aggressive towards adults was because you had tampered with them,'' Sam pointed out, with Springtrap looking stunned. ''Let's be honest here – you are the person that is responsible for literally everything that went wrong at Freddy's. It doesn't matter whether your involvement was direct or indirect, there would always be something you had done that influenced the outcome in some way.''

''I am aware of that, but do I really need to claim responsibility for everything?'' Springtrap asked in a frustrated tone, his arms crossed. ''I had already admitted to the murders and everything that had led up to that, but there are certain things where I draw the line. Fazbear Entertainment trying to covering things up is not one of my problems.''

''I know,'' Sam said in a calm tone, pointing at the animatronics on the stage. ''If the animatronics start to act weird again, you wouldn't be at fault, but there's no doubt that someone would attempt to blame you for it.''

Springtrap was fuming, but had to admit that, considering what he had experienced in the past week, Sam was right. Somehow, he would always be to blame for this horror show even if he had no control over what had happened. He then glanced at the stage.

''Have you ever wondered what would happen if certain events had never occurred?'' Springtrap asked in a quiet tone, looking at Sam.

''Do you mean the murders or something else?'' Sam asked.

''Pick any event you want,'' Springtrap replied. ''No matter what it is, I'm pretty sure that things would've ended up playing out differently.''

''Maybe, but some events, like your demise at Henry's location, probably wouldn't,'' Sam said, with Springtrap looking at her curiously. ''Even if you didn't enter it, I'm sure that Henry would've found another way to burn you to ashes.''

''Or, imagine that I did find a way out of that maze and into the main area, and I met you then. I think that I'd just be thinking about trying to lure you away in order to kill you,'' Springtrap said, frowning.

''Not that you tried to do that the first time we had met,'' Sam said in a deadpan tone, with Springtrap sighing and lowering his head in resignation.

''I'm sorry,'' he said as he glanced at Sam, a look of defeat on his expression. ''Honestly, I hate myself for even telling you that.''

''Don't worry, I'm not too upset about it,'' Sam said, trying to cheer him up. ''Besides, I know you don't want to hurt me.''

''You know, it may be ironical, but it seems that that mental breakdown I experienced in Hell was indeed necessary. At least, it helped me to reflect on several things, even though I needed outside help to move on,'' Springtrap said. ''I know that I'm just repeating myself here, but I seriously don't deserve your support, even though I do appreciate it.''

_''Of course you don't deserve her support! You're basically telling her you want to murder her!''_

''Not again,'' Sam groaned, while Springtrap just frowned.

''I am quite sure that I made it clear that this was never my intent,'' he said.

 _''It doesn't matter,''_ the kid replied. _''You two just said that you always end up responsible for everything that went wrong here. Also, don't tell me that you care about her, because if you did, you would just leave.''_

''I am not leaving,'' Springtrap said firmly, his eyes glowing purple.

 _''Then, once Freddy's opens, people will be in danger because of you,''_ the kid replied, with Springtrap feeling furious. _''It doesn't matter what you do, you'll ALWAYS be a murderer!''_

Springtrap's eyes flared up purple, with Sam giving him a concerned look. He understood that she was worried about him, that she wanted to comfort him and that she wanted to tell him that everything would be fine. He was frustrated, but at the same time, he felt desperate. He knew that he couldn't deny that the kid was right about what they had said.

_It doesn't matter what I do… I'll always be a murderer…_

**xXx**

''Follow me.''

He looked at the little girl as she wiped her tears off, giving him a look hopeful look Her parents had told her that her best friend was gone, having been hit by a car, but she wished that this was just a lie. He told her that he had found her puppy, safe and alive, and that he could show him to her. Somehow, she trusted him, having been accepting his gifts, which consisted of tokens, and advice, whether it was about the game she had been playing for the past days or the fact that her parents might've lied to her about the fate of her dog.

''Where is he?'' she asked. He just beckoned to her to come closer, to follow him to the far back of the restaurant. She was a little reluctant, as she had never been at this part of the restaurant, nor did she believe that she should be here. Still, Spring Bonnie wouldn't lie to her, would he?

''He's here,'' he said calmly, pointing at a dark room. There was an undertone of excitement in his voice, but she thought that this was only because he was eager to show her the puppy he had found. She smiled as she looked at him and entered the room. Spring Bonnie followed her inside, the man inside the costume having a wide grin on his expression.

Then, the door closed.


	34. It's Been So Long

**Night 33**

**It's Been So Long**

_''It's been so long, since I last have seen my son lost to this monster, to the man behind the slaughter. Since you've been gone, I've been singing this stupid song, so I could ponder the sanity of your mother.''_

_– **It's Been So Long** by The Living Tombstone_

**xXxXxXx**

He tried to calm down, but no matter what he did, he couldn't stop his heart racing. Adrenaline was surging through his body, and he felt as if he was going into a state of shock. He felt searing agony surging through his body, trying to take off the suit with his blood-covered fingers. However, he could barely move, as the plastic parts and metal were holding him in place.

_I need to get help…_

He tried to reach for the door, knowing that an employee should pass the corridor and probably see him. He slowly inched towards the door, feeling as if he was stabbed by thousand blades. His breath was fast and shallow, and he was afraid that he might set off only more spring locks with his movement. His vision was blurry and he felt dizzy, but he managed to crack the door open.

He tried to fight back the dizziness, knowing that if he fainted, he was dead. As he looked down, he saw blood trickling through the gaps of the costume. He felt nauseous, not knowing whether he might be able to hold on any longer. Suddenly, he heard steps, which managed to briefly jolt him awake. Someone stopped at the door.

However, before he could say anything, darkness overwhelmed him, and he only managed to catch a glimpse of the person who found him.

_Henry?_

**xXx**

Springtrap's eyes flared up purple as he looked at his hands and sighed in relief. He was lying on the couch, glancing at the clear, starry sky. Neither he nor Sam were exactly in a great mood when they had returned back home and none of them had a reason to pretend that they were fine. Emma did notice that something was wrong, having questioned them about it. Springtrap replied that he just had some rather unpleasant memories haunting him, with Emma giving him a strange look.

He had no idea what was going through her head and actually expected her to continue questioning him, but surprisingly, she didn't. Even though Springtrap was relieved that he didn't have to go into detail about something he would rather talk about with Sam, a small part of him actually wanted Emma to be interested in what he had to say. In the end, all he he got from this was another headache and a surge of anxiety. He simply felt sick.

The fact that his memory of the spring lock failure he had experienced overwhelmed him didn't help. At the time, he had no idea what exactly caused the spring locks to suddenly snap open and force him to experience a slow death. He had some theories, but he was still in disbelief, having considered himself an expert in using such a dangerous suit. He was lucky that Henry had passed by, as his actions had saved his life.

After he had passed out from shock and blood loss, the next thing he remembered was waking up at the hospital, completely unable to move and still feeling as if he was trapped inside the suit. His torso, arms and even legs had been covered in bandages, and he was told that he should be happy that he had survived. His injuries eventually healed, but he was left with a horrifically scarred body and a newfound respect for the springlock suits.

However, he didn't mind it much, as he expected that something like that would happen. What intrigued him more was Henry's presence at the location, as he wasn't supposed to be there. Not to mention, he was quite sure that nobody had seen him going into the back of the location. Still, he also knew that Henry was actually becoming wary of him, aware that William wasn't anymore the same person he knew. Not to mention, William had never seen Henry during his time at the hospital, despite being told that the latter indeed brought him there.

_Would he have left me there to die had he know what would happen afterwards?_

Springtrap frowned, not really sure what to make out of that. He knew that Henry wasn't that kind of person, unlike him, and that he would've found a different way to deal with him. What happened at the last location was something that he had done because he was driven by grief, despair and anger, and he may have felt that there was nothing else that he could do.

_I do understand how you felt, though… Not that that changes anything._

He took a deep breath, looking up and noticing his ears lowering. He was already used to the suit responding to his emotions, but it was still interesting to see that he was able to manipulate the animatronic to this extent. It was certainly better than the previous suits he used after his death and when it came to it, he actually did enjoy being an animatronic, as long as he wasn't experiencing static or any other kind of interference that was driving him crazy.

_Still, this kind of existence beats being stuck in Hell and constantly getting killed by those animatronics… Speaking of which, what was the point of El Chip?_

He did remember having his vision obscured by various restaurant advertisement pop-ups for something called _El Chip's Fiesta Buffet_ while trying to win the night _,_ but he had no idea where that came from. That is, until Sam explained to him that Henry and Michael actually had an animatronic mascot named El Chip. Nevertheless, he felt weirded out that out of all animatronics and their variants, Fazbear Entertainment decided to bring El Chip back. Why didn't they go with another animatronic, like Balloon Boy?

Springtrap shook his head.

_On second thought, maybe not. Having Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, Foxy and Puppet there is already enough. Not to mention, I'm still here._

He wasn't really sure what he was going to do once Freddy Fazbear's Pizza opens again. While he was curious to see how the location would work out, he didn't feel any urge to go and stay there. He certainly didn't want to repeat the mistake he made at Henry's location, although, the only reason he even went there was to continue murdering people. However, since he promised himself that he wouldn't take that path again, there was not real reason for him to go there.

_Except, there is. As a matter of fact, there are several reasons for me to go there._

He already knew that he would go to Freddy's if Sam asked him to join her, and that there was no way that she wouldn't visit the restaurant once it opens. Furthermore, as he had told Sam, he was curious about how this location would turn out. If Henry and Michael's location was successful, would that mean that this one would be safe too? He snorted.

_Of course it would, as long as I don't interfere. Although, there is a possibility that everything might go wrong regardless._

There was also what he found when examining the animatronics. Fazbear Entertainment was supposed to be dissolved, at least according to what Henry told him. However, it was obvious that they weren't and that they decided to act on their own, without his or Henry's input. Not to mention, they might've also been using Freddy's shady past in order to appeal to audience who'd be interested in the lore and draw them to the location even if they might not be interested in the animatronics.

 _I guess I will have to keep an eye on that location in case another tragedy might happen._ He sighed. _No, the irony didn't escape me._

If anything, Sam was right about him fitting in. If nobody, except for Connor, was suspicious about his presence at Ricky's, there was no reason anyone would bat an eye at him for being at Freddy's. After all, he was technically just another Bonnie mascot. He grinned. In a way, he was actually looking forward to it.

_Some things never change, I guess._

**xXx**

Connor shook his head lightly, feeling tired. He tried to keep himself awake, knowing that he was almost done with repairing the animatronics. He yawned, trying to keep in mind that there were a few more things he needed to do. Not to mention, weren't those birthday parties scheduled for today?

''I'd still have to upgrade Ricky and the Misfits,'' he told the Foxy animatronic he was working on. He glanced at the endoskeleton that was leaned against the wall. ''Then, there's this…''

Suddenly, he heard a screech. He rubbed his temple, feeling a headache. Bran just wouldn't stop trying to get out of the room he had locked him in and went from scraping to screeching. Connor was slowly getting irritated by this, especially since he was desperate for sleep. Yawning, he walked over to the sickle, it being the last thing he needed to attach to the Foxy animatronic. A small smile formed on his lips.

_Then, all what I need to do is to lure Afton here._

**xXx**

Sam slowly opened the door to Springtrap's room, peeking inside. The animatronic bunny was facing the couch, lying on his side and looking as if he was asleep. Sam grinned mischievously, realizing that he hadn't noticed her entering the room. She started to tiptoe towards him, not noticing the slight twitching of his ears.

''Don't you even dare.''

Sam was standing right behind Springtrap, frozen as he addressed her. Springtrap then turned to her, sitting up and grinning. Sam gave him a look of disbelief.

''How did you even know I was trying to sneak up on you?'' she asked.

''I know that you'd usually check on me at this time,'' Springtrap replied in an amused tone. ''Next time, try a little harder.''

''Honestly, I'm wondering how an animatronic could be so good at being stealthy,'' Sam said.

''Not just an animatronic, but an animatronic controlled by a human spirit,'' Springtrap said as Sam sat next to him. ''Not to mention, I have a lot of experience with that.''

''Yeah, I know,'' she said, her smile turning into a look of concern. ''Say, how are you feeling?''

''I feel better than I did yesterday, but I sincerely doubt that it will last long,'' he said, with Sam looking a little crestfallen. He knew that that this wasn't probably the smartest thing to say, but he was just being honest. He patted her on the head gently, with Sam looking up at him. ''Hey, I'll be fine, but what about you?''

''I admit, I am a little concerned, but otherwise, I'm okay,'' she said. Springtrap tilted his head, looking at her, while Sam smiled wryly. ''Let's be honest, we're not exactly in a situation that is perfect, but we should make the best out of it.''

''If you say so,'' Springtrap said, leaning back. ''Maybe I should try to be a little more optimistic, instead of just always assuming the worst.''

''I'm not saying that you're wrong about being worried that something bad might happen, but I hate seeing you being so stressed out,'' Sam said.

''I know,'' Springtrap replied, smiling. ''Thank for the help.''

Sam gave him a confused look at first, but then smiled.

''I appreciate your help too,'' she said.

Springtrap being startled when she suddenly hugged him. He hugged her back, aware that this little gesture meant more to both of them than anything they had said.

**xXx**

Kathy was swinging her legs as she was sitting in the booth, with Kyle copying his older sister. He was occasionally glancing at the hallway where the room for private birthday parties was. A bunch of children ran out of it and past them, a girl wearing a tiara that marked her as the birthday girl. They were followed by a few adults who were talking to each other, trying to keep an eye on them, but it was quite hard, as the kids instantly separated the moment they hit the arcades and the play area. Not to mention, there was also another birthday party, but this one was louder, thanks to the mother that was complaining to an employee about the ordered cake. It was amazing how her shrill voice could be heard through all that noise.

''I had ordered a chocolate cake! Chocolate! How dare you to ruin my son's special day?! You should all get fired!'' she screeched as her husband tried to calm her down. Apparently, he had changed the order because the birthday boy had changed his mind several times and ended up deciding on a strawberry cake, and the husband forgot to tell his wife about it. They were actually really lucky that the staff had managed to bake a replacement cake on such a short notice.

''She's going to get kicked out,'' Kyle said, chuckling as he smiled mischievously. The mother meanwhile started complaining how they should've brought them both cakes for their inconvenience, while her husband was completely embarrassed. The birthday boy, however, was nowhere in sight, so there was no way to ask him about his opinion on the matter.

''I hope Freddy's won't have so many mean people,'' Kathy said, remembering what Spring told her. She turned to her brother. ''We still need to tell Mum and Dad about it.''

''Oh, yeah,'' Kyle said. ''I wonder if Auntie will take us there.''

Kathy shrugged and looked around. There was actually a reason why they were sitting alone in this both, waiting patiently. Apparently, their aunt had told them that she would be back soon, as she wanted to get something, but half an hour had already passed and she was still nowhere to be seen. Kathy actually had some money in her pocket, which her mother gave her for tokens or snacks, but she didn't want to waste it as their aunt was supposed to pay for them. The two had already gotten their ordered drinks and pizza, so at least they weren't hungry.

''Do you think that Auntie forgot about us again?'' Kathy asked her brother. Kyle's eyes widened in fear, but he remained calm, as his sister didn't seem to be really upset about it.

''What if she did?'' he whispered dramatically. Kathy shrugged.

''Then we'll find someone and call Mum and Dad to pick us up,'' she replied, pointing at her wrist band. ''Do you want to go and play a game?''

''Yeah!'' Kyle said, glancing towards the arcades. However, the children and teenagers that were there, yelling out of joy or anger, made him feel a little anxious. It felt too loud and too crowded, even if it was far from being packed. ''I want to play, but…''

''Maybe we could watch the animatronics,'' Kathy suggested. She knew that her younger brother didn't really like to be in the middle of loud crowds, which was why he was so attached to her. Her presence made him feel safe and both knew that they could lose each other easily if they weren't careful.

''I don't think they want to be watched,'' Kyle told his sister, pointing at the stage. Kathy saw that none of them were performing. Kyle then gave her a disappointed look. ''I wish that Freddy's would open soon. Then we could play or watch the animatronics sing!''

''That would be great, but we have to wait,'' Kathy replied. Kyle didn't seem to be listening to her, already imagining what Freddy's would look like. Kathy just leaned against the table, wondering what they should do now.

''Do you guys have fun?''

The two turned, only to see Ricky. Both felt nervous, although Kathy was more annoyed. At this point, none of them liked Ricky, as he was just making them feel uncomfortable. Kyle glanced at his sister, noticing her annoyed look, and arranged his expression to match hers, even crossing his arms.

''No,'' he said boldly, only to look nervous when Ricky leaned over.

''Well, I could change that,'' he said. ''All you need to do is to follow your pal Ricky.''

''No, we won't!'' Kathy said, getting up and grabbing her brother's arm, planning on leaving. However, Ricky blocked their path.

''Please, don't be so difficult,'' he said. ''It's my job to make you happy.''

''If you do that again, I'm gonna scream!'' Kathy replied, glaring at him. Kyle looked at his sister, not really sure how that was going to help them, as there were a lot of other kids screaming. Would they really be heard?

However, Ricky stepped back, with Kathy marching past him, still holding Kyle's hand. The two then started to run towards the arcades, trying to get as far away from Ricky as possible. Eventually, he lost them out of sight.

Connor frowned under his mask, furious that he had lost their trust. He knew that the person to blame was Afton, even though he had no idea why the latter would suddenly turn children against him. Was it to easier lure them away? After all, Freddy's was supposed to open soon, and it wouldn't be surprising if he had returned there to murder more people.

Connor then looked down the hallway to the party rooms, knowing that he would have to send out the animatronics soon. He returned to the back room, taking his costume off. Inside the room was the Ricky animatronic, along with an endoskeleton who had the Ricky suit on, only lacking the head. Both of them, along with Max, Dahlia, Virgil and Quentin were equiped with the features he had decided to give his own animatronics. They weren't polished though, but it was more than enough for his plan.

He then changed into a black T-shirt and jeans, putting a baseball cap on his head. He then put the Ricky head on the endoskeleton, activating it. Instead of being jammed, the animatronic had actually managed to get up. As the animatronic got up, Connor activated the ear piece and took out his smartphone, which was connected to the cameras he had installed in the animatronics, meaning he could see through their eyes, basically using them as a surveillance system. Not only that, but he could also use it as a microphone, meaning he could talk through the animatronics. This was necessary, as he needed to fool his co-workers into thinking that one of the animatronics was him inside a costume.

With that, he sent off the first Ricky animatronic, making sure that he was at the far end of the restaurant before sending out the other to the party room. He also sent out Dahlia and Max to their respective birthday parties. He then grabbed the water bottle and he exited the back room, making sure that no one had seen him and hoping that his fellow co-workers wouldn't recognize him. At times, he would look down on his phone to check the cameras or talk through the microphone, making sure that everything was going smoothly. So far, people were too busy with the parties or just trying to have a good time in general to notice anything.

_It shouldn't be too hard to find someone…_

People were simply too trusting, believing that Ricky's was nothing like Freddy's. After all, it's been so long since the murders happened and some might've even forgotten about them. Either that, or they just didn't care. After all, a parent might think that the employees are here to babysit their children, despite being told at the entrance that they were responsible for their own kids. Ricky's Wonder Shack and the Wolfrun Corporation made sure they wouldn't be liable for any accidents that would occur at the location, as they were aware of the fact that neglectful parents existed and would probably try to sue them if anything happened to their special snowflake.

However, their ignorance proved to be a major factor in his plan, as it wasn't that hard to find unattended children. Luring one away, however, might be a little more difficult. He checked one of the cameras, this one belonging to Ricky who was at the main area, currently roaming close to the stage and drawing the attention of a little boy. Connor grinned.

''Hey, you look thirsty,'' Connor said, holding up his smartphone. ''How about I get you a free drink and maybe we could play together?'' He could see through Ricky's eyes that the boy looked excited. ''Okay, you need to just stay here, while I get your drink.''

He was walking over to the stage, having grabbed a cup on his way there and pouring water into it. Just as Ricky approached him, he put two sleeping pills into the cup, but he didn't hand it over to the animatronic. Instead, he instructed Ricky to go back to the boy, following him. The boy gave him a strange look, as he had expected Ricky to be the one who'd bring him his drink. Connor smiled.

''I'm sorry, but it appears that Ricky wasn't able to hold the cup without spilling it,'' he told the boy. ''He can be clumsy sometimes.''

''Ah, okay,'' the boy chuckled, taking the cup and drinking it. Connor merely nodded and walked away, taking his smartphone out and checking the cameras to make sure the animatronics were in their positions. He then saw the boy making a grimace as he swallowed the pills. He gave Ricky a strange look as he gave him the cup back.

''It tasted weird,'' the boy replied.

''Does it?'' Connor said through Ricky, trying to sound confused. ''Well, I'll make sure to find that man and tell him that.''

The kid seemed to have been satisfied with the answer. Connor knew that he needed to occupy him for the next 15-30 minutes in order for the sleeping pills to finally kick in. The boy seemed to be about four or five years old at most, which meant that they would act fast.

''What are we going to play?'' the boy asked, already looking tired. Connor had a feeling that he had spent most of his day running around, meaning that he was probably exhausted at this point.

_This needs to work._

''I have a special place I want to show you,'' Connor replied, then added in an undertone. ''Go to the back room.''

The animatronic listened to him, with the boy following the latter. He was starting to sway, feeling dizzy and nauseous.

''I can't…'' he muttered, looking around for his parents. ''I don't feel good… I want my Mum and Dad…''

''Then we'll go find them,'' Connor said, forcing Ricky to guide the boy to the door. Excitement rushed through his body as he went towards the back room, already seeing Ricky and the boy talking. Suddenly, the boy sat down, fighting the urge to fall asleep. It didn't help, as he had finally passed out.

Connor grinned as he directed Ricky to cover him, then picked the boy up and entered the back room. However, instead of leaving him there, he opened the door to the hidden room and gently put the kid on the ground. He was quite sure that he would keep on sleeping for hours. Connor then exited the room, recalling the spare Ricky animatronic into the back room.

_Now, all I have to do is to wait._

**xXx**

Springtrap shook his head, blinking a few times in order to get rid off the static that would cover his vision every so often. He wasn't really anxious, but the ocassional static was irritating him. It was similar to someone constantly poking him with a stick, and he already had an idea who that person was.

''This is not funny,'' he muttered. There was no reply, but he could imagine the kid grinning mischievously. Sam, who was on the website for Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, was aware why Springtrap felt irritated and felt sorry for him. She sighed.

''Justification is killing you, but killing isn't justified,'' she said, with Springtrap giving her a confused look.

 _''How isn't it justified?''_ the kid asked, sounding aggravated. Sam fell silent, brushing away the bangs that obscured her vision.

''What I want to say is that I understand that you want to annoy him, because you feel it is deserved. The only problem is that it isn't, as he hadn't done anything to deserve to be irritated like this,'' she explained patiently. ''This kind of treatment isn't justified.''

There was silence, with Sam wondering whether the kid was thinking about what she just told them. Meanwhile, Springtrap noticed the static fading away, wondering if Sam had finally managed to convince the kid to leave him alone, only to be surprised by sudden static that caused him to impulsively close his eyes, clutching his head. He heard the kid chuckling, only for the static to fade away.

''It seems that that kid doesn't care,'' he told Sam, who looked worried.

''Honestly, I just wanted them to leave you alone, and it worked,'' Sam replied, with Springtrap perking up. ''Speaking of which, I can't wait for this weekend.''

''I know I'm sounding cynical again, but what would happen if you were the only customer?'' Springtrap asked. Sam shrugged.

''I won't be alone, unless you want to say that you're not coming with me,'' she replied. Springtrap snorted, having already expected such an answer from her. Sam smiled. ''Besides, I'm pretty sure that there will be other people.''

''Yeah, those who had escaped from Ricky's Wonder Shack,'' Springtrap said in a deadpan tone. Sam rolled her eyes, but was still smiling. Feeling curious, she went to the website that belonged to Ricky's Wonder Shack, checking whether there were any news. Her eyes widened as she saw the latest entry.

''Sam, what's the matter?'' Springtrap asked, noticing her expression.

''It finally happened,'' Sam said darkly, frowning. ''A kid went missing at Ricky's.''

''What?'' Springtrap joined her, looking at the monitor.

The article on the website contained a description of a young boy, informing visitors about how he was last seen by an employee while roaming through Ricky's. The employee had also noted that the boy was approached by an unknown man, who may or may not have had a hand in his disappearance. So far, no arrests have been made, but police was already alerted and searching for the boy. At the end of the article was a plea from the staff who were asking for assistance in solving this case and finding the boy.

''This was Connor,'' Sam said in a grim tone. ''Although, I have no idea why he had done that.''

''You saw what happened to his last victims. It is possible that he lured that kid away simply because he could,'' Springtrap said, frowning. His eyes flared up purple as brief static covered his vision, but he managed to shake it off. Both then read the comments below the article, showing people speculating and arguing about what happened. ''If anything, his actions seemed to have created a lot of chaos.''

Sam nodded as she read a bunch of comments were a person claimed to have seen a man leaving the restaurant with a kid in his arms, only to be later debunked by another person, who claimed that the police had already checked him, and that the kid was his daughter.

''Not to mention, people are panicking, afraid that their kids might get lost or kidnapped,'' she said, sighing and turning to Springtrap with a determined look on her expression. ''We need to go there and confront Connor.''

''I agree, as it is obvious that this is a message from him,'' Springtrap told her. ''Remember what I told you after I dismantled the Drawkills? It was supposed to be a message to Connor, and it seems that this is his answer.''

''I know, but he could've done something else instead of kidnapping a kid,'' Sam told him.

''He probably could, but it seems that this was the most efficient way to get our attention, especially since you made it clear that you wouldn't go to Ricky's anymore,'' Springtrap said, with Sam lowering her head, a mix of anger and guilt on her expression. ''Sam, listen, the only one to blame here is Connor. I hate to say it, but it is obvious that he would try to do something to force us to return there.''

''You know what's even worse,'' Sam said in a bitter tone. ''We technically have no obligation to deal with Connor, meaning that, even if we did get his message, we don't have to go along with it. However, that would mean that he'd probably find another way to lure us there.'' She frowned. ''Nevertheless, we're going.''

''There might be a little problem with that idea,'' Springtrap said. ''A child went missing, which means that the police will be on alert, especially since there was another missing person case just a week ago, even if they believe that that one is not connected to this. In other words, we shouldn't even be there unless we want to have the police questioning us about our involvement in this whole mess.''

''I know, but I still think we should go there,'' Sam said, staring at the article and scrolling through the comments, hoping for any news. ''After all, he'll be waiting there for us.''

**xXx**

Ricky's Wonder Shack was dark and completely devoid of any life. It was possible that this was due to being late in the night, but Sam still expected a patrol car to be there. However, checking the latest article on her smartphone gave her a clue to why there wasn't anyone.

To her relief, the boy had been found, asleep, but otherwise unharmed. Nevertheless, he had been rushed to the hospital and the management had closed the restaurant, assuring people that they would reinforce security. While this story had a somewhat happy ending, that still didn't answer any of Sam and Springtrap's questions about what Connor wanted from them.

''This is completely messed up,'' Sam said as they approached the building's back entrance.

''Considering with whom we're dealing with, it shouldn't be that surprising,'' Springtrap said, feeling a sting of guilt. _As if I'm better than him. As much as I know, he only lured away one kid, while I personally killed at least six of them._

Sam opened the door to the back entrance, neither her nor Springtrap being surprised that it was unlocked, and the two entered the building. It was chillingly quiet, the only sound they heard were their own steps. Sam felt her heart racing as she saw light coming from the entrance to the main area. She glanced at Springtrap, who nodded in acknowledgement, knowing that his presence made Sam feel safe, especially since they had no idea what was waiting for them.

As they entered the main area, they saw Connor standing on the stage, wearing his dark blue uniform, his arms crossed. He was grinning as the two approached him.

''I'm glad you got my message. I was waiting for you.''


	35. Madness

**Night 34**

**Madness**

_''I know I swore that this was the last time, the madness never ends up in my mind! I made a list, it makes me sick and I can't leave 'till it's done. I patiently await the day to pack my bags and run. On and on, I could never escape my fate! No, I'm never getting out! I know that this won't be my last time I'm losing sight. Oh, I'm losing sight…''_

_– **Madness** by NateWantsToBattle_

**xXxXxXx**

Springtrap glared at Connor, his eyes flaring up purple. The latter was standing on the stage, a smug grin on his lips and his arms crossed. He looked satisfied, as if this was just a game and he was the one who ended up victorious. However, he had no idea that this game was far from over.

''I am glad that you're here,'' Connor said. ''I already thought that you wouldn't even bother to appear and that I would have to find another way to draw your attention.''

He was mostly staring at Springtrap, only occasionally glancing at Sam. The latter had an uncanny feeling that, to Connor, she was only the means necessary to achieve his goal – in other words, bringing Springtrap here. Now that he had Springtrap's full attention, she wasn't needed anymore. A knot formed in her stomach and she stepped closer to Springtrap.

''It wasn't exactly difficult to figure out that you were the man behind this,'' Springtrap replied, a stern look on his expression. Connor stared back at him, his expression unreadable. It seemed as if he was expecting another reaction from Springtrap, but there wasn't any.

''To be honest, it took me a while to set this up, but the ending result is quite satisfying. As I said, I'm glad that you have managed to come here,'' Connor said, grinning.

''What do you want?'' Springtrap asked, frowning. Connor seemed tense as he heard the aggressive tone in Springtrap's voice. He didn't like it, but nevertheless carried on with the conversation in a pleasant, calm tone.

''Straight to the point,'' he muttered. ''Although, I don't think we should rush ahead. Why don't you take a seat? After all, I don't believe I have even introduced myself.'' He placed his hand on his chest and then opened his arms with a flourish as a welcoming gesture, saying in a booming voice fit for an announcer. ''My name is Connor Davis and welcome to my restaurant, Ricky's Wonder Shack, where fun and safety are guaranteed!''

''Not that you have managed to keep-''

''Have I asked you anything?'' Connor suddenly cut Sam off, glaring at her. His voice went from friendly to furious, and he was clearly angry about the interruption. Sam was startled, feeling chills running down her spine because of Connor's sudden mood change. He then grinned again, his voice calm and pleasant. ''That's better.'' He then looked at Springtrap, who was still glaring at him, his arms crossed. ''I assume your name is William Afton, isn't it?''

He was disappointed by the lack of reaction. He thought that Springtrap would be surprised, shocked or even astonished that he had managed to figure out who he is, or attempt to the deny it, but he didn't. Instead, Springtrap just glared at him, the glow in his eyes becoming even stronger.

''You're right, my name is William Afton,'' he said coldly. ''How do you know?''

''I have been spending hours searching for any information I could get on Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, and I have found an article about Fredbear's Family Diner, which mentioned the names of the two owners: Henry Emily and William Afton. Since Henry Emily was reported to be dead, my only conclusion was that you had to still be alive…'' Connor said, taking a look at Springtrap. ''Well, alive in a different manner. Nevertheless, it is impressive, what you had achieved. Who would've thought that this was even possible?''

''Why are you telling me this?'' Springtrap asked.

''Ever since I have figured out who you are, I wanted to talk to you,'' Connor replied. ''After all, I believe that there are a lot of topics we could discuss.''

''How about the fact that you have kidnapped a little boy?'' Sam said in an accusatory tone. Connor glared at her, with Sam shivering.

''Haven't I told you to keep your mouth shut when you're not spoken to?'' he said, pressing the button on his ear piece. Sam and Springtrap suddenly heard footsteps, with the animatronics from Ricky's approaching and surrounding them. Ricky, Quentin, Max, Dahlia and Virgil's eyes were glowing and they looked as if they were ready to tear Sam and Springtrap apart. Connor watched their reactions with amusement. ''I only need to give them a command, and I sincerely doubt that you can take them all out at once.'' He then got off the stage. ''Now, let's keep this conversation civil, won't we? I believe that everything can be explained and discussed.''

Springtrap glanced at the animatronics, knowing that Sam was in danger in case Connor ordered them to attack. He knew that, even if he tried to fight back, he was still outnumbered and would probably be overpowered. While Sam did have the black device that interfered with the animatronic system, he wasn't sure whether she would be able to deal with Connor, who certainly wouldn't care what would happen to her. Not to mention, he had no idea whether Connor made sure that the animatronics would be immune to the device. In short, they were trapped here and at Connor's mercy.

''Fine,'' Springtrap said reluctantly. ''Do you mind explaining us first why you had arranged this? Why did you kidnap that kid, only to release him later? I understand that it was a message to us, but still, it doesn't really make much sense. You could've done something else to reach out for us.''

''I have figured that this would be quite efficient,'' Connor replied. ''Not to mention, I needed to test out a few features on the animatronics, and this was the perfect opportunity. It certainly didn't disappoint, as I have complete control over these animatronics.''

Connor started pacing up and down next to the stage, occasionally glancing at Springtrap and Sam, his arms crossed behind his back.

''It was actually much easier than I had expected, and it certainly drew a lot of attention. You know, we actually had two birthdays today, so obviously, at least my co-workers would be focused on making those work, while also being overwhelmed by the demands of other patrons,'' he said. ''All that was left for me to do was to find a child that was roaming alone, without any parental supervision. Considering how many parents are either too naive or too ignorant about our rules, it wasn't that difficult to find someone. All I needed to do was to spike a drink with sleeping medication and let him drink it. Once he had passed out, I brought him into the room in the back. I assume that you are familiar with it, especially since you already know more than you should.''

Springtrap nodded quietly, him and Sam wondering where this conversation would go. Connor seemed to be rather satisfied with the response.

''How come nobody had realized that it was you who had done that?'' Springtrap asked. Connor snapped his fingers, grinning.

''That's where my actual  brilliance shines. You already know that I'm Ricky's actor, and so do all my co-workers. All I needed to do was to fool them into thinking I was in the Ricky costume the whole time, and it worked. I simply put the costume on a spare endoskeleton and sent it off. If someone unfamiliar with me saw me alongside Ricky, they would think that there were two different people standing in front of them,'' Connor explained, looking quite proud. ''Afterwards, all I needed to do was to recall the spare animatronic and put the costume back on, waiting until someone realized that he was missing. Surprisingly, it didn't take long for that to happen.''

''The article on the website said that the police had a description of the man,'' Springtrap said. ''Do you want to explain that?''

''Actually, I was the one who had raised alerted everyone about the missing child. I simply told them that I was worried about a boy who seemed to be sick and left him there for a second to look for his parents, but he had vanished,'' Connor said, shrugging. ''I made up a story about a man having approached him, essentially sending the police on a wild goose chase. Along with that, I also had suggested to put the article about the missing boy on our website. If anything, the manager would've been pressured by the police and patrons to do everything in his power to find a missing child, including having to put an article about what had happened.''

''However, that article was actually for us to see,'' Springtrap muttered.

''Correct,'' Connor replied. ''I assumed that you might be checking on what's going on here. Using the Ricky's Wonder Shack website was the most efficient way to send a message.''

''What about the cameras? I'm sure that the cops would've insisted on checking them,'' Sam said suddenly. Connor simply glared at her, but he didn't scold her, merely looking annoyed.

''I made sure they wouldn't record anything. After all, I did anticipate that, after the police officers show up, that they would demant to see the camera footage. The only problem was that there was none,'' Connor explained. ''Trust me, I have covered everything. Everything they knew was that an unknown man entered this building, and a while later, a boy had vanished. Meanwhile, I was Ricky the whole time, as everyone could testify, and I had also seen this ''unknown man'' approaching the boy, but he had left shortly after. I wanted to help the boy, but sadly, I had lost him out of my sight for a moment, and then, he was gone.''

''However, you'd still be questioned, since you were the last person to see that kid,'' Springtrap pointed out. Connor grinned.

''It's a tragic story, but it is believable, and it is also a good cover up. My own co-workers testified that I'm the only person who plays Ricky and that I'm the only one who has access to the back room and the rooms with the costumes. Of course, the cops did check the room, but they had no idea that there was another hidden room behind it. They had also seen a dismantled endoskeleton, which I explained to be broken, and that I was also the technician for the animatronics. They didn't question it,'' Connor explained. ''Not to mention, it can be quite hard to navigate while wearing a costume, meaning that it wouldn't be impossible for me to have difficulty noticing things that were out of place. In short, as a suspect, I was out of question. The police was already searching for the stranger.''

''So, why did you then return that kid?'' Springtrap asked. Connor chuckled.

''Isn't it obvious? All I wanted is for a message to be sent,'' he replied. ''Afterwards, I didn't need him anymore. Once the cops weren't paying attention, I took him outside to be found. He managed to sleep through everything, and I doubt he'll remember much once he wakes up. Not to mention, I needed the restaurant to be cleared, so I suggested to the manager to close it earlier, only to return once everyone was gone. I knew that you wouldn't resist coming here.''

''You're sick, you know that,'' Sam said furiously, ignoring the angry look Connor gave her.

''I don't remember asking for your opinion,'' Connor replied in a condescending tone. He then turned to Springtrap, a deranged grin on his expression. ''Although, I am interested in your critique. After all, if you hadn't taken my creations apart, I wouldn't have figured out that there was something missing. As a matter of fact, I can say that I had improved my work and I'm certain that you'd be impressed once you see it.''

''So, you want to say that you went through all of this in hopes that I would acknowledge your work?'' Springtrap scoffed, with Connor's eyes widening in surprise, then narrowing in annoyance. ''The reason why I had destroyed those animatronics wasn't in order to help you improve, but to show you have absolutely no idea what you're doing. You're a complete amateur, and rest assured, I have no interest whatsoever in your work.''

''Maybe I should've killed that kid,'' Connor said calmly, provoking Springtrap. The latter clenched his fist, his eyes flaring up purple as he glared at Connor. ''So, you want to say that you're suddenly against murder?''

''What makes you think that?'' Springtrap asked. Sam gave him a look of concern, but Springtrap was staring at Connor, who was grinning.

''There is only one way to have your soul trapped inside one of those contraptions – death,'' Connor said. ''Considering how Freddy Fazbear's Pizza has a history of murders and other incidents, it wouldn't be difficult to conclude that someone had realized that death means nothing and that there is a way to preserve life, which is why this person had set up those murders. This person is, of course, you, Mr. Afton.''

Sam glanced at Springtrap, who was observing Connor with a calculating look on his expression, crossing his arms. However, he remained silent, with Connor looking somewhat disappointed that Springtrap wasn't questioning him about his assumptions.

''I have to admit, I have also experienced death,'' Connor continued, satisfied to see Springtrap somewhat surprised. ''However, rather than being killed by an animatronic, I ended up losing my life due to a car accident, if only briefly. Nevertheless, even though I was eventually resuscitated on the operating table, I had never forgotten that feeling of treading on a thin line between life and death. It was quite fascinating, and ever since then, I had tried to recreate that feeling. Unfortunately, all of my experiments, expect for one, were a complete failure. Therefore, I was wondering whether you could help me, as you obviously know more than I do. After all, you did call me an amateur, didn't you?''

''Forget it,'' Springtrap replied, with Connor getting agitated. He briefly glanced at Sam, then at Ricky, who was standing behind her.

''So, this is how things are,'' he muttered, his eyes narrowing. ''Grab her.''

Sam cried out when Ricky suddenly grabbed her shoulder, trying to break free, only for Springtrap to suddenly react by punching Ricky and almost tearing his arm off as he attempted to pry it away from Sam's shoulder. The wolf animatronic staggered back, with Sam quickly stepping closer to Springtrap as he looked at the other animatronics who, surprisingly, didn't attack, then glared back at Connor.

''It seems that this has confirmed my assumption,'' Connor said, looking at him curiously. ''It is quite funny to think that an elusive serial killer would even care about someone's life. I have to say, Mr. Afton, having a morality pet can be quite a burden, especially if it's someone who'd prevent you from further research.''

''You know, I could use you for further research,'' Springtrap said furiously as took a step towards Connor, who backed away, surprised by Springtrap's sudden outburst. ''Too bad I have my own standards, which I can assure you, are nothing like yours.''

''Well,…'' Connor muttered, realizing that he was pushing Springtrap's berserk button. ''Of course I have my standards. However, I believe that sometimes sacrifices needed to be made to achieve something greater.''

''I guess that one of those sacrifices was Raven,'' Sam said, with Connor giving her an annoyed look, although he didn't look angry. Instead, he looked as if he was reminiscing of something. He then grinned.

''Bran wasn't a sacrifice,'' he said, noticing Sam's confused at look. He rolled his eyes. ''Bran Crawford was my old friend and partner. We both worked at the Machinations Factory and he was the one who introduced me to the haunted animatronics, or at least, to the rumors.''

''What happened to him?'' Springtrap asked.

''It was a tragedy, albeit also an accident,'' Connor said. ''I pushed him back during an argument and he hit his head on the corner of the table, eventually bleeding out. However, I have also managed to give him a new body, as his soul ended up getting connected to the Raven animatronic. I have to admit, I am rather proud of my achievement.'' He turned to Springtrap. ''Not to mention, this is what made me realize why those murders happened. As I already said, it is an incredible discovery.''

Springtrap snorted, much to Connor's confusion.

''You really know nothing,'' he said, his eyes suddenly flaring up purple as he glared at Connor. ''You have no idea how souls function, nor do you know anything about how they connect to animatronics. Your so-called experiments are all just the work of a madman who believed that he had managed to achieve something, but in truth, you've been acting like a complete idiot, thinking you were above death. In short, you have failed.''

''No, I haven't failed-'' Connor gritted his teeth, stunned when Springtrap suddenly cut him off.

''You are nothing. You don't deserve recognition, nor a chance to achieve what you had planned. All you just told me was complete nonsense. You're pathetic and delusional, and I feel sorry for your partner, who didn't deserve to die like this, nor have his soul trapped inside an animatronic suit,'' Springtrap told him, with Connor growing more and more agitated. ''Honestly, I regret having to deal with a madman like you.''

''Shut up!'' Connor yelled, with the animatronics suddenly activating. Sam got closer to Springtrap, holding his hand as Max pointed his cutlass at her. She was shaking, observing the animatronics' eyes, which were glowing brightly, all five in sync wih the system Connor had created. They were ready to strike, but it seemed to Connor didn't care at this point, as he was glaring at Springtrap with a look of insanity on his expression. ''You really think that you're above me?! You have have no right to judge me, considering what you have done! I was simply making you an offer, as I believed that you would understand what I went through, and this offer still stands.''

''You can be assured that, regardless of what you tell me, I'll refuse whatever offer you give me,'' Springtrap replied. Connor grinned.

''Oh, really? Considering what I just saw, I sincerely doubt you will refuse this one. You see, Mr. Afton, I consider Ricky's Wonder Shack to be just a place where we'd just discuss a few things, holding a simple conversation about our interests. I actually wanted to invite you to the Machinations Factory, where we could continue with what I had planned, as it's more fitting,'' he said. ''However, since you refused, I believe that I should clarify the conditions of my offer. You are free to come to the factory, but for every day you continue stubbornly refuse my request, one person will suffer. For every day you decide to ignore my warning, I will kill someone, and I don't care who that person will be. I'd prefer my victims to be children, as they're obviously easier to lure away.''

He saw the look of pure horror on Sam's expression, as well as the look of seething rage on Springtrap's expression. He simply smiled in satisfaction.

''I don't really believe that being responsible for more victims would put any weight on your soul, Mr. Afton, but I'm certain that your friend here...'' He looked at Sam, as if expecting something from her.

''Samantha,'' she muttered, realizing a moment later what he wanted to know.

''Right,'' Connor muttered, turning back to Springtrap. ''You wouldn't want Samantha to be burdened by the fact that she was at fault for more people dying. After all, she too seems to be a victim of circumstances. Do you really want to see _her_ suffer?''

''No…'' Springtrap muttered, glancing down at Sam. In a way, they were cornered. ''Fine.''

''One more thing,'' Connor said, drawing Springtrap's ire. He glanced at Sam. ''Samantha is going to be present too.'' Sam glared back at him, but Connor ignored her. He walked back to the stage, with Sam and Springtrap noticing the animatronics suddenly stepping away from them. Connor then briefly turned to them. ''I want you to be there tomorrow evening. Now, please, get out of my restaurant.''

He observed them as they cautiously looked at the animatronics, who had stepped away to let them through, then walked out of the restaurant. He grinned in satisfaction.

_In the end, I did get what I wanted. Besides, they won't regret accepting my offer._

**xXx**

''I'm going to kill him,'' Springtrap muttered, still remembering the smug grin on Connor's expression as he watched them leaving. He was furious, wishing he could've ended Connor's life then and there. After all, Connor was fascinated by death, so he probably won't mind experiencing another one. Angry, Sprigntrap kicked an empty can that someone left on the street, not flinching at the metallic noise it made as it bounced down the empty street. As he calmed down, he just felt sick to his stomach about this whole situation. He glanced at Sam, who kept quiet the whole time. ''Sam…''

''You were right about Connor being delusional, but what he told us was just another level of messed up,'' she said in a quiet, but firm tone, looking at Springtrap. ''On the other hand, it's not like he gave us much of a choice.''

''Honestly, I don't want you to be part of this, but you're right,'' Springtrap said. ''At least we know what he's planning to do. Even if Connor thought that he was the one in control, he did reveal a lot of information he probably should've kept for himself. He wants us back at the factory, which means that we'll have to deal with the Drawkills once again. Connor said that he has improved them, which means that we would have to find a different way to handle them.'' He sighed, frowning. ''In any case, I'm not leaving that factory until I find a way to finally shut it down.''

''Exactly,'' Sam said, with Springtrap giving her a curious look. ''Don't think you'll be alone in this. I would've accompained you regardless of whether Connor wanted me to come or not.''

''Of course you would,'' Springtrap said, tilting his head. Much to Sam's surprise, there was no sarcasm in his voice. ''I know, you probably expected me to continue protesting about you being involved into something dangerous. While I'm still anxious about your involvement, there's no doubt about me needing your help for this.''

''Right! We're in this together,'' Sam said.

Springtrap nodded, but as he looked away, Sam noticed that he seemed to be rather troubled. She felt bad for him, aware of what was going through his head. Rest assured, none of them was looking forward to their next encounter with Connor.

**xXx**

_How did I get myself trapped in all this madness?_ Springtrap frowned, lying on the couch. _Of course, going by the logic everyone uses, it's my own fault again._

He sat up, feeling angry. His eyes flared up purple as he remembered his conversation with Connor, not to mention the implications the latter made during said conversation.

 _I have never asked for this! Why would I even want another deranged person to try to copy what I had achieved?_ Springtrap sighed, frowning. _This isn't the same situation as Elizabeth. Sure, she may have wanted to become my successor, but that wasn't too surprising, as her soul basically merged with the animatronic AI, so of course she would've done what the AI was programmed for. Not to mention, I wasn't exactly mentally stable either, so I didn't care that much about what would happen._

He leaned against the couch, a mix of irritation and despair making him feel sick again. He shook his head, trying to fight off that feeling.

_Besides, I was the only one whom Henry condemned to Hell. Sure, it didn't last, and I did return, but I made different decisions for myself during these past weeks. Nobody expected me to come to this far, not even myself, but here I am, and I'm certainly not going to let anyone destroy what I had achieved._

He suddenly stood up, clenching his fist. Another thing that made him furious was the way Connor treated Sam. He saw her as someone expendable and every time Connor attempted to silence her, Springtrap wished that he could've just punched him in the face. What made it worse was that Connor believed that Springtrap would see him as his equal. Rest assured, he enjoyed telling Connor how insignificant he was. If it weren't for his antics at Ricky's, Springtrap wouldn't have bothered to find out more about him.

 _He may be attempting to compare himself to me, but we're nothing alike._ He sighed, closing his eyes. _Although, when everything is considered, I'm not better than him. After all, I have murdered more people than he probably did..._ He suddenly shook his head, frowning. _Goddamnit, this isn't a competition! I made my choice, and I have made it clear that, despite the similarities, there is still a huge difference. If anything, while he may be inspired by what I had done, he still has no idea what he had gotten himself into, and I'm certainly not going to help him with that._

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.

''You don't have anything to say, do you?'' he said. He didn't really sense the presence of that spirit, but he did assume that they were listening. However, there was no response. He wasn't really sure whether this was a good thing or not, as he expected that kid to comment on the situation, even though he was happy to some extent that they didn't.

_Now, the only thing that is left is to figure out how we're going to deal with Connor tomorrow. Not to mention, trying to explain Emma why we would be once again gone for the night._

Apparently, Emma was still awake when they had returned and asked them what they were up to. The two weren't really sure what to tell her, as they felt that they couldn't tell her the truth, but were afraid of her reaction if she found out that they were lying to her, so Sam went ahead and only told her the reason why they went there. Needless to say, Emma wasn't happy about hearing that they were at Ricky's because they read the news about a kid who had disappeared for a few hours. Springtrap could still remember the glare Emma gave him, as if this was somehow his fault. However, she didn't pester them with further questions, even though it was clear to all of them that this conversation would continue tomorrow.

_What should I do?_

Springtrap glanced at the door, wondering whether Sam was asleep. He was sure that he wasn't the only one who was worried about the current state of the situation. While he was anxious about Emma hearing him going to Sam's room, he still wanted to check on her, so he carefully opened the door and peeked into the hallway. He was surprised to see that Sam was already standing there, wide awake. She beckoned to him to follow her to her room, closing the door once they were inside.

''Why aren't you asleep?'' Springtrap asked as she sat down on her bed.

''I can't fall asleep. I've been thinking the whole time about what Connor told us,'' Sam replied.

''You aren't the only one,'' Springtrap said as he sat next to her. ''It seems that this whole situation is driving both of us crazy.''

''Yeah, but we can't allow this to happen. We both agree that we need to do something to make sure that Connor won't harm anyone anymore,'' Sam said, sighing and leaning against Springtrap. She felt exhausted.

''Exactly,'' Springtrap said, lifting his hand and caressing Sam's hair briefly. Both of them were stressed out, but he knew that the constant worry won't help them in the long run. He frowned. ''Not to mention, I do have my own personal reasons to deal with Connor.''

''I assume that it's because of what he told you; that he deserves recognition for discovering that there is a way to trap a soul inside an animatronic,'' Sam said, quickly adding. ''Speaking of which, why didn't you tell him that Bran's soul has abandoned the animatronic suit?''

''Don't worry, I'm planning on making it clear just how much of a mistake he made when he decided to involve me into his plans,'' Springtrap replied, his eyes flaring up purple. ''Besides, there is another reason why I'm so angry at him. You saw how lightly he treats death. He acts as if he's above it, as if it's as easy as falling asleep. I know I too have been arrogant when it came to that topic, but I knew that I shouldn't treat death as something trivial. It is not pretty; it's agonizing! Even though I knew what would happen after I had trapped myself inside the springlock suit, I admit that I was still afraid of death. A part of me was afraid that it wouldn't work, but I went with that plan regardless.''

''As you had already said, Connor is delusional,'' Sam said. ''He believes that he deserves this.''

Springtrap sighed, staring at the floor as if he was contemplating something. He then shook his head, his feelings being a mix of amusement and grief.

''Not to mention the pure irony of this situation,'' he muttered, looking crestfallen. ''This is how Henry, Charlie, those children and Michael felt whenever they had to interact with me.''

''Maybe, but I think you'll have to ask them about it,'' Sam said, with Springtrap glancing at her. ''In any case, you made your point. I know that it bothers you that Connor is trying to relate his experiences to you, but I think that is obvious that you two are nothing alike. After all, you were the one who has started the whole thing.''

''Thanks for the comfort,'' Springtrap said sarcastically. Sam rolled her eyes, then smiled.

''That thought should comfort you, William,'' she said. ''Sure, you shouldn't be proud of what you had achieved, but you still understood the implications of what you were doing. Not only that, but after you had returned, you showed regret for what you had done. Connor, on the other hand, is trying to blindly imitate what you had achieved based on a few assumptions. If anything, you showed to be a person solely because you refused to go along with his plan to continue murdering people. Not to mention, you also want to stop Connor for harming someone. As I had already said, there is an obvious difference between you two, and I have just scratched the surface level.''

''Thanks, Sam,'' Springtrap told her, with Sam looking happy to see him somewhat relieved. ''I guess I really needed a reminder to why why I'm still here.''

''I'm always glad to help you out. After all, you'd do the same for me,'' Sam replied. Springtrap nodded.

_Whatever happens next, I will make sure to at least not lose sight of my own plans. After all, I have learned my lesson when it comes to this madness._

His eyes flared up purple, with a look of determination appearing on his expression.

_I am still here._


	36. Mechanical Instinct

**Night 35**

**Mechanical Instinct**

_''Here, all alone in the darkness, why can't I escape their soulless eyes? It's a lost cause now, they've got my scent, and I can't get out. Now, I'm afraid to look because they are just the beasts to hunt me down. With no way fight back, the night is already over. Looks like I'd better run for my life, I'll never be in one piece to see night five. I've got eleven on my tail, with no time to think of a way to survive mechanical instinct.''_

_– **Mechanical Instinct** by Aviators_

**xXxXxXx**

Sam and Springtrap glanced at each other, then at the kitchen. If they wanted to confront Connor, they needed to deal with another obstacle first – Emma. They still haven't told her about what they planned for tonight, as they knew that she would freak out. Not to mention, lying to her would make things even worse.

''It's not like we have much of a choice,'' Sam whispered, with Springtrap nodding. The two entered the kitchen, giving Emma a nervous glance. She was busy with reading something on her phone, with the two exchanging glances, waiting for her to notice them. At least a minute passed until Emma sighed and looked at them.

''Okay, what's going on now?'' she asked, slightly annoyed.

''I just wanted to ask you whether I could borrow the car keys,'' Sam said. ''We were planning on going to the Machinations Factory this evening.''

''Why?'' Emma crossed her arms, frowning.

''Considering what happened yesterday at Ricky's, we just wanted to make sure that the dismantled animatronics stay dismantled,'' Sam replied. Emma turned her glance from Sam to Springtrap, glaring at him, with the latter wincing.

''Well, I don't think I'd be really able to stop you from leaving,'' she said in a pleasant tone, turning back to Sam. ''Of course, there's something I'd need to discuss with Afton first.''

''What?'' Sam looked surprised, while Springtrap felt anxious. He knew from experience that those conversations with Emma never ended up well.

''Don't worry, it won't take long,'' Emma said in a carefree tone, with Sam getting even more suspicious. ''Trust me, you'll get your friend back in one piece. Although, I'm not sure about his mental health, since not much has remained.''

Springtrap shot Emma an annoyed look, but didn't say anything, as he knew that she was right. He then turned to a concerned Sam, nodding. She still seemed to be unsure about the situation, but then left, going upstairs. Emma then turned to Springtrap, being surprisingly calm, despite the look of irritation on her expression.

''I know that there's something you two aren't telling me,'' she said. ''As I had already said, I'm not going to stop you from doing whatever you were planning to do. However, I want to know just how serious this situation is, Afton.''

''Emma, I am going to keep Sam safe,'' Springtrap said calmly, with Emma rising an eyebrow, looking as if she was going to protest. ''I know that I'm asking a lot, but please, I need you to trust me. I won't let anything happen to Sam, and I promise that I will explain to you what's going on once we have returned.''

''If the situation is so bad, maybe I shouldn't let either of you leave,'' Emma said. Springtrap shook his head.

''This would make the situation only worse,'' he replied, then frowned, a determined look on his expression. His eyes were glowing in a soft purple, the glow growing stronger. ''I know that this is not what you want to hear and I would understand if you screamed at me for not telling you anything. Believe me, none of us would be going there if it weren't for the fact that this was a problem that needed to be dealt with. I mean, I would have left Sam here and dealt with the situation on my own, but that isn't possible.''

Springtrap fell silent, the memories of Elizabeth dying inside the Circus Baby, Sammy having his frontal lobe crushed by Fredbear and Michael, after being scooped by Ennard, confronting him inside that small room overwhelming him. He clenched his fist.

''I won't let anything happen to Sam,'' he said, his eyes flaring up purple as he became more resolute. ''I _won't_ lose her.''

He looked at Emma, not caring anymore what she would tell him. However, to his confusion, rather than being angry or trying to mock him, Emma looked stunned. She snorted, shaking her head lightly and her expression turning into a mix of disbelief and amusement.

''If there's anything I have learned about you in these past weeks, it's that, whenever you become serious, nothing will stop you from keeping your word,'' Emma said. She then narrowed her eyes. ''However, only because you're determined to keep Sam safe doesn't mean that there is a possibility that something you have no control over might occur and cause her to get hurt.''

''I know that,'' Springtrap said firmly. ''However, this time, things will be different.''

''I hope that they will,'' Emma replied. ''Just promise me that both of you will return.''

''I promise,'' Springtrap said, noting the look of content on Emma's expression. She then left him, with Springtrap turning towards the stairs, feeling somewhat strange. Then, he realized what was bothering him.

_Did she just say that she wants both of us to return?_

He just smiled, a sense of warmth spreading through his chest, soon replaced by a feeling of determination.

_As I said, I promise that we will return._

**xXx**

''This is it,'' Sam muttered as she parked in the usual spot near the Machinations Factory. She felt nervous, a knot forming in her stomach. However, she knew that this was something she couldn't avoid. They needed to deal with Connor.

''Seems like Connor is waiting for us,'' Springtrap said, pointing at the front gate, which was open. He frowned. ''Honestly, I'd rather use the usual entrance.''

''Me too,'' Sam said. ''We're basically doing exactly what he wants.''

''Not that it will last,'' Springtrap said as the two went to the front entrance. They opened the door, walking into the building and looking around cautiously. It was quite dark inside, with Sam having brought a pocket flashlight, but she didn't take it out yet. Both were wondering were Connor was, with Springtrap having a bad feeling about this.

''Springtrap!''

Suddenly, Sam cried out, with Springtrap turning around, realizing she was grabbed by Drawkill Bonnie from behind. The Drawkill animatronic gave Springtrap a smug grin as he held Sam, who was kicking and flailing to free herself, but didn't succeed. However, as Springtrap stepped towards Drawkill Bonnie, the dim lights had turned on and he heard a familiar voice behind him.

''I wouldn't do that if I were you.''

Springtrap's eyes flared up purple as he saw Connor approaching them, followed by Drawkill Freddy, Drawkill Chica and Drawkill Foxy. Not only did he manage to repair them, but it seemed that he was also right about improving them. They were moving much smoother, almost looking like they were breathing. However, that made them only creepier.

''What do you want?'' Springtrap asked, already feeling the rage rising within him.

''I just wanted to have a conversation with a fellow intellectual,'' Connor said.

''I'm not really in the mood to talk to an idiot,'' Springtrap replied, with Connor looking irritated, but then smirked.

''You haven't even heard my offer,'' he said. Drawkill Bonnie and Drawkill Chica suddenly stepped out, walking away, with Drawkill Bonnie still holding the struggling Sam.

''Let go of me!'' she yelled.

''Sam-'' Springtrap wanted to follow them, but Drawkill Freddy and Drawkill Foxy blocked his way, with Drawkill Foxy brandishing his sickle and Drawkill Freddy lifting his arms. Springtrap knew that, if he made one wrong move, he'd be sliced and burned to ashes. He glared at Connor, his eyes flaring up purple. He growled, ''If something happens to her, you're dead!''

''Don't worry, she'll be fine as long as she behaves,'' Connor said calmly, not reacting to Springtrap's threat at all. ''On the other hand, if you really decide kill me, she won't survive either.''

''That's why you wanted her to be here,'' Springtrap muttered, clenching his fist. ''You're sick, twisted bastard…''

''That makes two of us,'' Connor replied. If it weren't for the fact that he was held back by the Drawkills, Springtrap would've grabbed him by the throat and bashed his head against the wall. He had enough of that smug, self-absorbed psychopath. ''I told you that I would make you an offer you cannot refuse. Now, I'd be grateful if you'd follow me.''

Springtrap knew that he had not much of a choice, but to go along with Connor. He didn't care about Drawkill Freddy and Drawkill Foxy destroying his suit, but more about what would happen to Sam. The only thing he hoped for was that Sam would be able to disable Drawkill Bonnie and Drawkill Chica on her own, as she still had that device that would interfere and mess with an animatronic AI. He wasn't sure how the Drawkills would react to the device, but he hoped it would be enough for Sam to get away from them.

''I told you that she was a burden,'' Connor said, with Springtrap keeping silent. He grinned. ''If anything, my animatronics will keep a close eye on her.''

''You mean the Drawkills,'' Springtrap muttered, with Connor giving him a confused look. ''I have noticed a lot of endoskeletons in this place.''

''I'm glad that you're actually showing some interest,'' Connor said. ''Most of them were failures, though.''

Springtrap frowned, doing his best not to tell Connor why they were failures. If there was anything he and Henry had agreed on, it was that if you knew how to build a decent animatronic and if you kept it up to your standards, it would perform flawlessly. However, it was obvious Connor didn't care unless he got direct results or some kind of recognition. Nothing else mattered.

''If you treat them like failures, they will be failures,'' Springtrap muttered in a dry tone, but Connor ignored him. He glanced at the two Drawkills, whose eyes were glowing as they were staring at him. There was something feral and animalistic about them, with Springtrap feeling that the animatronics reflected their creator's personality. After all, if Henry wanted to entertain families by creating friendly animatronics, while he wanted to murder by creating animatronics that were friendly on the surface, but deadly when approached, what did this mean for Connor and the Drawkills?

Eventually, they entered a room inside of which Springtrap hadn't been before. It was filled with more elaborately constructed animatronic parts and endoskeletons. Some looked generic, while some had ears or claws, being associating with some kind of animal, but Springtrap had no idea what they were supposed to represent. However, this had confirmed that Connor's experiments with the animatronics had been going on for much longer than he thought.

Connor noticed Springtrap's stunned expression, chuckling softly.

''I can assure you, in terms of being a technician, I'm not an amateur,'' he said. He then pointed at one of the endoskeletons which had pointed ears and patches of matted blue fur. ''However, you know something I don't. You know how to attach a soul to an animatronic and achieve what is essentially immortality…''

''If you really think that I'm going to tell you how I have accomplished this, you're wrong,'' Springtrap replied.

''You really are stubborn about keeping it a secret, aren't you, Mr. Afton?'' Connor said, with Springtrap hearing steps behind him, knowing that the Drawkills have moved closer.

''If you already know that this is only possible via death, then how is it a secret?'' Springtrap asked in a sarcastic tone.

''I am aware of that, but the problem is keeping the soul attached to the animatronic,'' Connor replied. ''Considering how you have visited this place before, I'm sure that you had already seen how I had trying to deal with that issue.''

''I know that you have killed that girl,'' Springtrap said coldly. ''You had torn her apart, but for what? Her death was senseless and brutal, but you don't care, do you?''

''The reason I had murdered her wasn't because she was supposed to help me solve the issue with the souls, but because she showed no appreciation for my creations,'' Connor replied. ''It felt quite insulting.''

''This makes the circumstances of her death even worse,'' Springtrap replied. Connor showed no reaction towards that comment.

''If anything, at least someone did acknowledge my efforts,'' he said. ''I told you about Bran. He was the only one who stood by my side, even after his death.''

''He wasn't,'' Springtrap said, with Connor looking stunned. Springtrap's eyes gleamed, with a malicious grin appearing on his expression. He had actually hoped that Connor would bring up Bran's situation.

''What do you mean? He's here!'' Connor replied angrily. ''I know that I had brought him back! I gave him a new body!''

''Maybe you did, but from what I had seen during my interaction with Raven, Bran Crawford's soul isn't inhabiting it anymore,'' Springtrap replied, enjoying seeing Connor's shocked expression.

''You're lying,'' Connor growled. ''How would you even know that?''

''I am dead, and therefore, I am able to see spirits of the deceased around me. During my interaction with Raven, I didn't see a soul inhabiting it. However, I do believe that it is better that way,'' Springtrap explained, with Connor staring at him in disbelief. ''I don't see the life I live as a gift, but as a curse.''

''It may be a curse, but it isn't less useful,'' Connor pointed out.

''It doesn't matter!'' Springtrap snapped, stepping towards a startled Connor. He ignored the Drawkills behind him, who seemed to be quite tense, but didn't do anything. ''Rest assured, the animatronic you were constantly talking to wasn't Bran, but he still had Bran's memories. His soul may have inhabited the animatronic for a while, but it left its mechanical body. All Raven now knows is pain, and I'm quite sure that everything he wants is to get revenge on you for murdering him.''

''It was an accident!'' Connor snarled.

''It may have been an accident, but there's no doubt that you would've murdered your best friend once you lost his support,'' Springtrap replied. ''In the end, you have completely failed to achieve anything. Not to mention, you have no understanding of death. You may claim that you know what you're doing because you had experienced death, but you're still a complete idiot. I told you that you're nothing to me and that hasn't changed.''

Connor was fuming, feeling livid and humiliated as it slowly dawned him that everything he had done; that all of his attempts and efforts to impress Afton, the man who inspired him to conquer death, were a complete waste of time. Not only that, but he was being mocked regardless of his achievements as a technician. He snapped.

''What do you know?! What makes you think that you can judge me?'' he bellowed. A deranged grin suddenly appeared on his expression. ''You said that the animatronic I was talking to was Raven who retained Bran's memories. How would you know whether _you_ are a soul haunting an animatronic, or an animatronic with the memories of William Afton? Have you thought of that?''

Springtrap just stared at him coldly, his eyes glowing in a soft purple, with Connor being stunned to see that the animatronic didn't show absolutely any reaction to his question. He thought that he would have some kind of mental breakdown or at least show some doubt about his own identity. Instead, he was met with the same menacing glare. He frowned.

''It doesn't matter,'' Connor said. ''The next time won't be a failure. I believe that your little morality pet would make a perfect-agh!''

There was a cracking sound, with Connor crying out in pain and shock when Springtrap suddenly grabbed him by his throat and slammed him against the wall. The animatronic looked absolutely furious, ready to tear Connor apart.

''I have enough of you!'' he growled. Connor gasped as he felt Springtrap's grip around his throat tightening. ''Trust me, I will murder anyone who even dares to lay a finger on Sam, and you are no exception. As a matter of fact, I would do everyone a favor if I got rid of you here and now, as I doubt that anyone would miss you.''

Springtrap grinned, looking creepily delighted about seeing Connor suffer.

''As for my identity, you were a little too late with trying to make me doubt myself,'' Springtrap added in a sinister tone, clearly enjoying himself. ''I am William Afton, and I am Springtrap. I had been a monster in life, and I became a complete nightmare in death. Now, I'm here to do the Devil's work.''

**xXx**

Sam was kicking and flailing as she tried to free herself from Drawkill Bonnie's grip, groaning in pain when she felt Drawkill Bonnie's grip around her tightening. She could barely move, noticing Drawkill Chica looking at her with a creepy grin on her expression. She frowned, realizing that it would get only worse if she kept on resisting. She was in a dangerous situation, but she knew that she had to fight back.

She could still feel the black device that would interfere with an animatronic's system in her pocket. All she needed to do was to reach for it and flip the switch, as it was already turned to the max. She hoped that it would work, since this was her only way to escape Drawkill Bonnie and Drawkill Chica. If anything, both she and Springtrap had discussed how to deal with the Drawkills and agreed on using the device again, regardless of whether it would hurt Springtrap or not.

_I hope that Springtrap is okay._

Sam was aware that Connor wanted her to be here in order to use her as a leverage so he could keep Springtrap under control, as it was obvious that he wouldn't do anything that would cause her to get harmed. Not to mention, making sure that she was out of sight would make him more cautious, as he had no idea whether she was fine or not.

_Only that Connor underestimated Springtrap and I. Considering what we went through last night, I'm sure that Springtrap would snap at some point._

Sam frowned as she looked up, noticing that they were at a rather familiar part of the factory. She realized that the two Drawkills were bringing her to the room with the conveyor belt and that they were going towards the room where Connor had been working on the Drawkills.

_Now that we're here… Where's Raven?_

As they opened the door to the hallway, Sam heard banging noises coming from the room she and Springtrap left Raven in. She then realized that she could use this situation to her advantage. She pretended to faint, lowering her head and closing her eyes, hoping that the two Drawkills would figure out that she was in trouble and stop keeping her in a crushing hug.

Surprisingly, they did stop moving, with Sam hearing steps in front of her, knowing that Drawkill Chica was looming over her, probably examining her. She could feel Drawkill Bonnie's grip on her loosening and she quickly reached for the device in her pocket, flipping the switch.

''Agh!''

She cried out in surprise when Drawkill Bonnie suddenly dropped her, only to hear him and Drawkill Chica screeching. They fell on their knees, looking as if they were in agony. Sam quickly got up, rushing towards the door to the room inside of which Raven was and unlocking it. Raven too was in pain, but Sam figured it was worth it considering that he was free now.

She then quickly went to the room where she had seen the gasoline tanks, closing the door and turning the switch off. The screeching has stopped, with Sam being able to hear the movements of the animatronics, including that one of Raven. She looked around the room, but realized that the gasoline tanks weren't there anymore.

''Damn it!'' she hissed, biting her lip. She was startled when she suddenly heard noise outside the door. She opened it, peeking outside and saw Drawkill Bonnie trying to get Raven away from Drawkill Chica.

''Krach- Krach-''

She knew that they wouldn't be distracted for too long and quickly ran out. The fact that she heard steps behind her made her run only faster.

_This place and the Drawkills need to burn down!_

**xXx**

Springtrap was holding Connor by his throat, almost crushing it. His eyes were glowing in a dark purple and he was grinning, feeling a mix of glee and contentment as he watched Connor suffer. If anything, he wanted his death to be slow and agonizing, as he believed that this is what Connor deserved. However, he briefly turned his head back to the Drawkills, who didn't attack him at all.

''Why aren't they doing anything?'' Springtrap muttered, loosening his grip around Connor's throat, but still holding him against the wall. While Drawkill Freddy and Drawkill Foxy still had their flamethrower and sickle pointed at him, they seemed to be hesitating. Springtrap then realized what the issue was and turned to Connor. ''If the Drawkills go after me, I could easily use you as a human shield, so you'd be the one who got sliced and burned. However, that's not what you want, right? For all your talk about your fascination with death, you are actually afraid to die unless you have a way to return or preserve your soul in a different body. Despite everything you have said and done, you're just a pathetic coward.''

Springtrap suddenly laughed, sounding disturbingly elated about his discovery. His laughter sent chills down Connor's spine, who was gasping for air when he suddenly felt Springtrap crushing his windpipe again.

''To make one thing clear,'' Springtrap added, enjoying seeing the look of terror on Connor's expression. ''Unlike you, I don't fear dying again.''

It was at this moment that Connor had realized just how terrifying and cruel William Afton truly was. Not only had he underestimated him, but he would be paying with his life for this mistake.

Suddenly, they heard a scream, startling them.

''Sam!''

Springtrap frowned, then slammed Connor once again against the wall, releasing him. Connor fell over, feeling something warm trickling down his head. He felt nauseous, briefly looking up only to see Springtrap quickly leaving, not even paying attention to the Drawkills who didn't seem to even attempt to stop him.

Connor frowned, trying to get up, with Drawkill Freddy helping him out. He managed to stand up, leaning against the table. He had a throbbing headache and his throat hurt. The fear he felt was slowly being replaced by rage.

''Destroy them,'' he muttered, taking deep breaths. Drawkill Freddy and Drawkill Foxy then left, going after Springtrap. Connor took another deep breath, taking out his switchblade and glancing at the box in the corner.

_This time, I'm not taking any chances._

**xXx**

Sam managed to dodge Drawkill Bonnie as he lunged at her, with him hitting the conveyor belt. She ran out of the room, spotting an air-vent in the hallway. She could hear steps behind her, knowing that Drawkill Bonnie was after her and quickly flipped the switch on the device. She heard an agonizing screech, knowing that she merely had delayed Drawkill Bonnie's next attack. However, it was enough for her to enter the air-vent and quickly crawl through it.

She turned the device off, taking the pocket flashlight out and hoping that she would find either Springtrap or spare gasoline tanks. She hoped that Connor would actually have a supply of gasoline tanks for Drawkill Freddy in the case he runs out of it. She noticed another opening in the air-vent and took down the grille. The room was quite dark, but she noticed that it was filled with boxes. She pointed the flashlight at it as she exited the air-vent, noticing a strange smell in the air. She looked around and saw in the corner of the room three gasoline tanks.

''Please be full,'' she muttered as she approached them.

She grabbed one, but it was empty. The second one was empty as well, but the third one was full. She put the flashlight into her mouth and grabbed the gasoline tank with both hands, trying to drag it outside the room, as it was rather heavy. She managed to put it into the hallway and turned the flashlight off, putting it back into her pocket and taking out the device. She was afraid that the Drawkills might find her and try to attack her.

She took a deep breath and lifted the pod-like gasoline tank, planning on to bring it to the area with the conveyor belt. Considering how many times she had been here, she was aware of which way she should take to get to that room. She hoped that Drawkill Bonnie and Drawkill Chica had left the room in search for her and that it was empty.

''Com'n,'' she muttered under her breath. ''Soon, everything will be over.''

She carried the gasoline tank, navigating through the dark hallway, looking around nervously for any signs of animatronic activity. As she crossed into the next corridor, she was startled by a loud noise. It sounded as if someone got slammed against the wall. The gasoline tank fell out of her hands and she quickly took out her flashlight, illuminating Springtrap who hit Drawkill Bonnie with a pipe, knocking him out. He then quickly approached her, still holding the metal pipe.

''Springtrap! But, how-'' Sam stared at Springtrap who picked up the gasoline tank.

''I saw Drawkill Bonnie roaming around and I followed him. It's a good thing I did that, as he was about to sneak up on you,'' Springtrap told her as they walked over to the room with the conveyor belt. ''Where's Drawkill Chica?''

''She was busy dealing with Raven when I last saw her,'' Sam said. ''What happened to Connor?''

''I left him at a room inside this building when I heard you screaming,'' Springtrap said. ''I know I'll probably regret it, but I had to make sure that you were fine.''

The two had finally managed to enter the room with the conveyor belt, with Springtrap taking the cap off the gasoline tank. Sam looked at him with a worried expression. While burning the animatronics was a rather insane plan, they figured that it would work. However, the only problem they had encountered was the fact that none of the animatronics were inside the room. Nevertheless, Springtrap started to pour the gasoline across the room, making sure that there was a way for him and Sam to escape. The gasoline tank was almost empty when the doors suddenly slammed wide open.

Sam and Springtrap observed Drawkill Freddy, Drawkill Bonnie, Drawkill Chica and Drawkill Foxy entering the room, knowing that this time, they wouldn't hold back. Suddenly, Drawkill Foxy charged at Springtrap, snarling like a rabid fox and swinging his sickle at the animatronic. Springtrap managed to block it with the pipe, pushing Drawkill Foxy back, only to see Drawkill Freddy go after Sam. He pointed his hands at her and a stream of fire was blasted at Sam, who threw herself on the ground, barely dodging it.

Furious, Springtrap managed to push Drawkill Foxy at Drawkill Chica, who attempted to come to his aid, knocking both of them away. He went after Drawkill Freddy, but was stopped by Drawkill Bonnie, who snarled, grabbing the pipe he was holding. Meanwhile, Drawkill Freddy approached Sam, who picked up the almost empty gasoline tank and threw it at Drawkill Freddy with all her might, knocking him back. She then took out the device and flipped the switch.

All the Drawkills screeched in pain, with Springtrap feeling as if his head was going to explode. Static covered his vision and an irritating buzzing sound filled his ears. He fell on the ground, groaning in agony. There was only one clear thought on his mind.

_Everything will be over soon._

He and Sam had agreed on this, as they couldn't find any other way to deal with this situation. He felt the pipe being taken away from him, and in a brief moment of lucidity, he saw Sam slamming the pipe against Drawkill Chica, causing her to stagger back across the gasoline.

Sam knew that it was up to her to force the Drawkills into the gasoline circle Springtrap made and to ignite it. However, that was easier said than done. She had managed to force Drawkill Bonnie to join Drawkill Chica, but Drawkill Foxy was a problem, as he was swinging blindly with his sickle. At one point, he almost managed to slice her head off, but she managed to ram the pipe into his chest, managing to get him behind the line.

She turned to Drawkill Freddy, who was kneeling on the ground, screeching like a maniac. Breathing heavily, she hit his head with the pipe, drawing his attention. He tried to get up, pointing one arm at her, with Sam dodging another stream of flames. She reached for the device, crouching down right above a pool of gasoline, and turned it off.

The animatronics stopped, with Drawkill Freddy growling as he spotted her. He pointed his arms at her, with Sam quickly dodging the stream of flames that suddenly set the gasoline ablaze. Drawkill Foxy, Drawkill Chica and Drawkill Bonnie snarled and screeched in surprise and fear when the fire surrounded them, stepping back. Drawkill Freddy glanced at them and the growled at Sam, but before he could get her, he was tackled by Springtrap, stumbling across the flames. He didn't catch on fire though, but he didn't seem to be willing to try to cross it.

Sam and Springtrap exchanged glances of relief, but they knew they weren't done yet. Not only did they need to find Connor, but they also had to escape the building, since it was clear that the rest of it would also catch on fire. However, before they could do anything, Springtrap suddenly saw a figure trying to sneak up on Sam from behind, brandishing a switchblade. He lunged at the figure, hearing Sam screaming. He had managed to grab the figure's arm, twisting it until he heard a cracking noise and took the switchblade away.

His eyes flared up purple as he felt an outburst of rage, staring at the figure's eyes. He then drove the knife deep into the figure's throat, their eyes widening in shock. Springtrap grinned as he saw Connor, now dressed as Ricky, stare at him completely paralyzed by the shock and overwhelmed by the pain he felt. He then twisted the knife, with blood spraying and staining the Ricky costume and Springtrap's hand. He grabbed Connor's throat with the other hand to hold him, causing it to also become stained with Connor's blood, and sliced the artery in his neck with the switchblade.

Connor coughed as blood was gushing out of his neck, staggering back as he was bleeding out. He fell over into the flames, joining the Drawkills. Springtrap stared at him coldly, throwing the switchblade away. He then turned to Sam, who was stunned by what just happened, grabbing her arm. She managed to snap out, with the two of them quickly leaving as the fire and smoke spread through the room.

They had managed to get outside, not looking back until they got to the car. Once they reached the car, they turned back, now watching in stunned silence as the Machinations Factory was engulfed into smoke and flames.

''It's over,'' Springtrap muttered.


	37. The Monsters I've Created

**Night 36**

**The Monsters I've Created**

_''I'm horrified by the monsters I've created. It's time to die, I'm the monster that I've hated. Let out a cry, it's the picture that I've painted. Now I know why all these memories are faded.''_

_– **Monster I've Created** by FabvL_

**xXxXxXx**

Springtrap was sitting on the edge of the stage, staring at his blood-covered hands. He felt empty, unsure what to think or even say. He had kept silent during the whole drive, slowly letting it sink in what had happened and what he had done. He knew that it would take a while to recover from this experience.

He looked up, noticing Sam coming out of the bathroom, holding a damp cloth and approaching him. After they drove away, Sam decided that they stop at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, wanting to clean herself up and calm down before they went back home. On their way there, they heard sirens, realizing that someone probably saw the smoke and called the firefighters. Rest assured, neither of them wanted to know what they had found.

''Will…'' Springtrap noticed the look of concern on Sam's expression. He lowered his head, looking again at his blood-covered hands.

''This is not what I wanted you to see,'' he said. His eyes were glowing in a soft purple as he looked up to her. ''It doesn't matter what I say or do, I'm still a murderer.'' He sighed. ''That kid was right. There's no way I would manage to stay here without getting my hands bloody again.''

''If you hadn't done that, I would've been murdered by Connor,'' Sam noted as she sat next to him. ''You saved my life.''

''I know, but it isn't just that,'' Springtrap said, his eyes glowing. ''I had no regrets about killing Connor. As a matter of fact, I enjoyed watching him suffer.''

Sam kept quiet, avoiding his gaze. Springtrap was aware that he technically had no choice when it came to murdering Connor. If he hadn't done it, who knew what would've happened or what Connor would've done. On the other hand, there was no real excuse for his reaction. However, if he had to be honest with himself, he doubted that he would ever regret what he had done.

 _Connor deserved death, didn't he?_ Springtrap frowned, staring at his blood-covered hands. _This isn't the same situation as before, as Connor was trying to kill Sam. I couldn't let that happen._

He was surprised when Sam suddenly reached for his hand, putting the damp cloth into his palm. He looked at her, with Sam giving him a bitter smile.

''You should get that cleaned up,'' she said.

''Sam, I-''

''I have to admit that I didn't regret seeing him die either,'' Sam added, noticing Springtrap's stunned expression. ''Thanks for saving my life.''

''Honestly, I'd rather go to Hell than let you get hurt,'' Springtrap said, cleaning the blood off his hands with the cloth Sam gave him, with the fur being surprisingly easy to clean. Both were silent for a while, with Springtrap still feeling as if he owed Sam some kind of explanation. ''I'm sorry.''

''You're sorry, for what?'' Sam gave him a confused look.

''I don't know,'' Springtrap muttered. ''I just feel as if I should say anything. I mean, I do feel remorse for what I had done to my family, to Henry and those children, but for Connor… It was just satisfying to finally put an end to him.''

''William, I do agree with you that Connor deserved it,'' Sam said, narrowing her eyes. ''However, I'm also sure that something else is actually bothering you.''

Springtrap gave her a look filled with guilt. He felt exhausted.

''I'm just afraid that I'm falling back into my old habits,'' he said, looking at the blood-stained cloth.

''If you were really falling back into your old habits, you wouldn't be so worried,'' Sam said, with Springtrap looking surprised. ''Would I really be sitting next to you if I feared that you would suddenly go on a murder spree?''

''You wouldn't,'' Springtrap said, understanding what she meant. ''I know that there's no way that I could just act like these past weeks had never happened and I seriously don't want to.'' He glanced at the room. ''It feels as if ages passed since I've returned.''

''I do hope you'll stay for much longer,'' Sam said.

''If you want me to stay here longer, we'll have to first deal with Emma,'' Springtrap said. ''I promised her two things: to return you home safe and sound and to tell her what exactly is going on.''

''Considering what just happened, we're dead once Mum finds out about it,'' Sam said.

''True, but knowing Emma, it would've been way worse if we didn't tell her anything,'' Springtrap said. Sam shuddered.

''Agreed,'' she said, sighing. ''I hope that everything will be fine in the end.''

''I promise that it will,'' Springtrap said, with Sam hugging him for comfort. Springtrap hugged her back, caressing her hair. His eyes glowed in a soft purple.

_Rest assured, I am here to stay._

**xXx**

He tilted his head, his eyes glowing as he watched the person in front of him kicking the burnt rubble, seemingly looking around for something. He rose his sickle, tilting his head as the man came closer. However, the man then left, seemingly satisfied that the fire had been put under control and extinguished. He then slowly turned back, walking into the darkness.

They had managed to escape the fire, hiding deep in the building. Nobody knew that they were still there, and they would make sure that it would stay that way. They were created to stay in the shadows and to drag their victims to their deaths. He joined the others, meeting their curious glances. He then looked down at the figure who was sitting on the floor, leaned against the wall.

The figure wasn't moving at first, but then, he suddenly gasped. The feeling of disconnection was gone and he felt as if he was shackled. His eyes gleamed briefly and he stared ahead, ignoring the Drawkills who surrounded him. Connor felt pain surging through his body, but he was soon consumed by the feeling of cold rage and hatred, with only one person on his mind.

''This is not over yet, _Afton_.''

**xXx**

_The Story Continues..._

**Five Nights at Freddy's:**

**Nothing Remains**

_William Afton, as Springtrap, is enjoying his life as Sam's best friend and father figure. However, as they explore the recently opened Freddy's location, not only are the ghost of his past preventing_ _him from finding redemption, but are also seeking complete annihilation of his mind and soul, until nothing has remained of him…_


End file.
